


Revenant

by Themanofmanyhats



Series: Revenant [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Ghost!Zuko, Spirits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-23
Updated: 2016-02-04
Packaged: 2018-05-15 18:26:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 28,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5795230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Themanofmanyhats/pseuds/Themanofmanyhats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko's fate could have diverged either way on many occasions. Under the catacombs. At the North Pole. On the day of Sozin's Comet. But when the scale tips the other way the day it all started, the day of the Agni Kai, he finds that destiny is not done with him just yet.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Soul

The swamp was foggy. The air was thick and the trees wrapped around everything around him, even each other. He'd expect it to be humid, but he couldn't feel a thing. Quiet, empty but most definitely alive. _Wild_ , that would be one word to describe it.

He was lost.

But even though he was lost, alone, confused, slightly panicked and _glowing_ \- he was enjoying these circumstances much more than the ones he had been in just moments before.

 _What is happening?_ Was this some sort of pain induced hallucination?

 _No._ For that to be true, he'd have to acknowledge that what he'd just been through was more than just a nightmare.

Maybe that was what all this was – a nightmare. A painfully real nightmare that would eventually end. That's all this was. It had to be.

But he still had to fight the urge to cry; the horrible lump in his throat he had to swallow because he was scared and alone and he could still remember the pain that was eating through him just moments ago. But he was a prince and this was a dream, so he fought it off.

 _Change your focus_ – move, maybe he'd wake up. So he walked. If he'd been paying any attention, instead of trying to numb everything away, he might have noticed the faint, blue lights in the distance, or how he couldn't feel the earth underneath him as he moved or how his head passed right through a branch in his path.

Something caught his eye. A faint blue column of light was flickering to his right. The boy ran towards it. As he came closer he realized the light was a person, glowing and lost like him.

 _Hey,_ he called out, _hello, excuse me sir. I'd like to talk to you._

The man did not respond. He scanned around himself, looking slightly confused, before he fixed his gaze on some point in the distance.

 _Hey, come back!_ The boy exclaimed as the man began walking towards whatever it was he was looking at. The boy walked swiftly behind him, not wanting to seem desperate by running, calling out every now and then. This continued for an amount of time; the man never answered, didn't acknowledge the boy's presence at all in fact.

The man eventually made a harsh turn to the right, behind a layer of undergrowth, out of his sight. When the boy looked behind the brush, he was gone.

* * *

Time was odd here. He didn't know how long had passed since the first encounter. Enough time for him to meet eleven other ghosts. If you could call following people who couldn't sense you, then watching said people vanish meeting them. He wasn't sure whether they couldn't hear or whether he couldn't speak, not that it made a difference.

Ghost

He was a ghost. It had taken him a while to stop believing this was a dream or some sort of coma-induced fantasy but eventually he realized it couldn't be anything else.

He heard the trees shift.

_I guess ghosts can hear. So I just can't talk._

Currently he was sitting among the roots of one of the many trees, staring out at the latest arrival in the swamp. He decided it wasn't worth chasing him down. He'd disappear just like all the others.

Anyone else in his situation would likely be having a spiritual meltdown. _What kind of afterlife is this?! Have the spirits punished me? I can't be dead!_

The 13-year old wasn't taking it all in stride of course. He was merely refusing to acknowledge what being a lost ghost implied. But when you have an eternity to ponder about it, he couldn't avoid it forever.

He broke when he saw a little boy, even younger than him, appear then vanish just as quickly. He couldn't feel the wind blowing the branches, or the ground under his feet, or the his head in his hands; but he could feel the pain rising in his chest, filling his throat as all the thoughts in his head tumbled out.

_My father…I'm an idiot…he couldn't have…I shouldn't have gone in… why didn't he stop him…shouldn't have said anything…why am I here…I'm dead…he killed me… he killed me…_

* * *

Zuko eventually calmed down. But calming down came with its own problems. Now that he'd accepted his past, he began to question his future. That led to a bit of an existential crisis. He wondered if this was a punishment, forced to watch other souls pass into some sort of afterlife he couldn't reach.

He tried following them again, tried looking for some sort of sign to lead him. Nothing. To be honest though he wasn't trying his best. He didn't want to be dead.

He'd gotten bitter. His father had killed him. The afterlife didn't want him. He was stuck in some sort of in-between swamp for the rest of eternity.

The swamp got tiring quickly. He couldn't escape, no matter how far he moved. Each tree looked like the one before it. Nothing lived here. Unless you counted ghosts which weren't really alive. He spent his days moving steadily in one direction, chasing down souls when they appeared and sitting down to contemplate.

_I don't want to be dead. I want to go back and be with uncle and…and live. I don't want to be dead. I want to go back._

With that he stood up. That bush… He'd gotten a feeling there was something behind it. He fixed his gaze on the plant. Zuko walked towards it.


	2. Spirit

If one of passersby of The Jasmine Dragon had had any connection with the Spirit World, they would've seen a dead prince on the teashop's porch. But none of them did, so the night went uneventful.

Zuko eyed the people, slightly self-consciously, considering the day's events. He wondered who else would be able to see him.

To be seen. After months of wandering the world, going places nobody had ever set foot in; nothing had changed his afterlife more than when someone had stared him right in the eyes.

* * *

_Iroh had finished washing the last teacup when he turned around. Zuko had been studying his uncle, struck by how much he'd missed him, and feeling the familiar regret drape over his shoulders. Exploring Ba Sing Se had been worthwhile._

_When Iroh stared right at him, Zuko started a bit but didn't want to raise his hopes. He glanced behind himself wondering what had grabbed his uncle's attention._

" _Nephew…"_

_Zuko whipped his head back. His uncle… he'd called to him._

_They stood there regarding each other blankly; Zuko wondering if he had heard right and Iroh wondering if he'd started going senile. Thankfully, Iroh didn't attempt to hug him, which would have been awkward. Instead he fell to his knees and wept. Zuko kept standing, as his reality crumbled beneath him._

* * *

The shock hadn't completely worn off. All that time he'd been alone when he could've been with uncle. For once since he'd arrived at that swamp, he didn't feel so lost. The regret and sadness was still there with full force though. He remembered his reemergence into the mortal world.

* * *

_He appeared at the Agni Kai platform. It was early morning. The court was empty._

_No one took notice of the ghost roaming the Royal Palace. And as Zuko watched his father attend meetings and his sister master her firebending and the nobles bustle through the palace, it seemed that no acknowledged that the Prince had died at all. Had been murdered._

_Zuko looked up at his father, alone in his throne room reviewing a scroll. No sign of horrible regret eating through him. In fact he seemed more content than ever before. Bitterness rushed through Zuko. At one time he had loved this man, would've done anything to make him proud. What a fool he was._

_He looked up at him again._

Do you regret it? _Zuko thought out loud._

_Zuko left briskly, not seeing the faint dip of Ozai's smile._

* * *

Zuko thought back to his _talk_ with Iroh. It was exhilarating, having someone acknowledge his presence for once.

* * *

_Zuko had learned he was not completely mute around a week after he returned to the land of the living. He couldn't speak, that was true. Sound was merely vibrations of the air and, since he wasn't made of physical material, he had no way to manipulate the air._

Go back _he said to the woman. The paths around the mountain had become treacherous that day. He'd already watched another woman tumble. There was nothing more he could do to help her._

_The woman kept walking._ Go back, _he insisted. The woman faltered, walked three more paces, glanced backed, pursed her lips and left. When he repeated the feat another three times, he decided it wasn't a coincidence._

_He got confirmation of this that evening, with Iroh. His uncle had settled himself down at one of the shop's tables after he'd managed to calm down slightly. They spoke of many topics that night._

You can hear me, uncle? _He'd asked at one point._

_Iroh thought for a second. His hands had stopped shaking and his speech didn't rattle as much as before, but his voice was still quite hoarse. "It is not like hearing words. More like you are instilling thoughts in my mind. If I could not see your lips moving, I would think your thoughts were my own."_

_He thought back to the only other time a person had been able to see him._

_Zuko glanced at his uncle. The conversation had fizzled away moments ago, leaving an uncomfortable pause. For once, his uncle didn't seem up for salvaging a conversation._

How can you see me, uncle. No one else can. _Zuko pitched. He was truly curious._

_Iroh didn't look up. "I've had a journey through the Spirit World. I have been connected with spirits ever since."_ _A short pause._

There was one day, though, _Zuko started_ , people saw me.

_Iroh raised his head slightly._

It was maybe a month ago. For some reason they could just see me. But only that day.

_Iroh waited a moment before offering a comment. "Rumors of a spirit have reached even here. A burned ghost wandering the Fire Nation. Not many believe it."_

_Another pause._

" _The solstice. The summer solstice passed short a month ago."_

_Another lull in the conversation. There were to many things to discuss, so many questions that couldn't be answered, subjects that were too sensitive to broach. Subjects that had to be recognized eventually._

" _Nephew…what do you plan to do?"_

_Zuko reeled. He knew they would come to this. The only answer he had was the same answer he used to explain everything that had happened recently._

I don't know, uncle.

_Iroh looked down again, shamefully. "You did not find your way to the afterlife, I can only think of one reason for this._

" _When you passed, your father revoked you title. He said you had dishonored yourself and the nation by showing weakness. Ozai refused to give you the proper funeral rites."_

_Iroh looked weary, as if retelling the tale was physically draining him of energy. "I do not know what they did with the body. Hopefully it is buried somewhere where it will not be disturbed. But it wouldn't be beneath Ozai to toss it in the sea."_

_Zuko felt odd and fairly bothered about the information regarding his corpse. He wasn't comfortable about imagining his body left to lie on the sea floor._

" _I left the palace shortly after, as you know. And unless the spirits have a reason for not guiding you to rest, I believe you are here because the proper rites were not observed."_

* * *

Iroh had returned, in his hands a basket, likely filled with the candles and incense he had set out to find, as well as a small, weathered book giving a detailed guide on Fire Nation funerals and prayers.

Zuko stood idly in the corner as his uncle set up. There wasn't much he could do. As his uncle started flipping through the book Zuko felt the familiar cape of regret drape over him. Bitterness seeped through him. And most of all, dread. He wasn't supposed to be dead, he didn't want to be dead. His father had done this; he could've been alive right now.

He thought back to his uncle's words: _Unless the spirits have a reason for not guiding you…_

Yes, there was a reason. Even if the spirits hadn't given it to him in the first place, Zuko gave himself a purpose.

Iroh had just found the page on funerals with absence of the deceased when he heard a voice at the back of his head; _Uncle, stop._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tone of the story is still pretty nostalgic and droopy but bear with me, just one more chapter of this somber attitude. Then, well, you can't be all that dour with Aang around.


	3. Specter

In the summer of 97 A.G, the 41st division was given instructions to engage the Earth Kingdom front. The battalion of new recruits had rejoiced, eager to have a taste of battle. The division's general was less pleased. He surveyed the young warriors, wondering who, if any, would be alive the next week.

They were on the march, on the longest day of summer, hoping to be in position by early the next day. Those who survived the harrowing battle the next day remembered this trek clearly.

_A ghost,_ they said, _spectral blue. A child ghost with half his face marred, burned._

_We saw something glowing in the distance. It kept disappearing then coming back, kind of looked like he was shouting at us. We tried shooting it with fire, with arrows, they just passed right through._

_It was probably an Earth Kingdom kid. Got burned and died in a raid, maybe. Now he's come back. It probably cursed us, got my buddies killed, made us lose. Curse the thing. If it can hear me I say throw whatever hexes you got! Glory to the Fire Nation! Praise to the Fire Lord!_

The story passed around, and soon seeing the marred specter became a sign of upcoming calamity.

* * *

Mai was anxious. Not that anyone on Earth would be able to tell. The only one who had been able to tell was dead.

She whipped the sai in her hands around, clumsily. She had attained mastery in throwing knives but decided it would be beneficial to learn a close range weapon.

Mai stabbed the weapon in her invisible opponents, imagining them as people she hated: Her parents, who expected her to marry soon; the suitors her parents had chosen; Azula who seemed to be watching her back in the worst kind of way. At Zuko for being an idiot. The anxiousness quickly turned to resentment. She could feel it almost tip into a rushing grief. Almost.

The alleyway she had been practicing in was scattered with chipped bricks and limping plaster. Her breath was frosty. It was mid-winter, cold, but it was the Fire Nation. Getting snow in this region would be quite an occurrence.

She whipped out her knives, feeling emotion start to bubble in her throat. She threw them hectically hoping the overwhelming thoughts would fly out with each dart.

_It'll be a full year soon, since he, since he…_

_Why was he such an idiot?_

_Why did I have to care about him?_

Her arms dropped to her side, face stoic even though she was out of breath. She had run out of knives. And she felt a presence.

She turned around expecting it to be nothing just like every other time.

_I'm sorry,_ she heard in her head. _Wait…_ _why would I think that_? _Who am I apologizing to?_

Once she turned around fully, she saw him. Half his face burned off. He took off not a second later. Mai spent the day trying to track him. Her parents were upset but mostly annoyed by her coming home late that night, with red eyes.

* * *

"Brothers, prepare for battle." Hakoda's voice echoed around the cargo hull. One of the men rushed up on deck to hoist the flag to alert the other ships. The Water Tribe chief joined the warriors trying to locate their armor.

"Have they spotted us yet," Bato asked, his voice attaining the steel it always had in battle.

"No," he answered," The land's blocking us from their sight. Once we make this bend, they'll see us, but we'll have the element of surprise."

"Can't we just attack them from around the bend?"

"We can't reach from here. Besides, our long range weapons won't make much of dent. "

"So were going to board the ship."

"It's our best bet."

A few moments of preparations and they were ready on deck with the rest of the men. The Fire Nation cruisers loomed ahead.

"Hakoda," Bato said under his breath," You said there was only one."

"It's too late, they've spotted us," Hakoda answered. "We'd never win in a chase," now his voice rose to address the warriors, "Warriors! Ready yourselves! One ship we could take easily. Two we can do just as well. Prepare to board."

Bato glanced over at his friend. "Be careful chief. You have kids waiting for you back home."

Ropes lashed the metal hull as the sirens wailed. The battle howled. The entire Water Tribe fleet was engaged on the enemy's deck.

A firebender had found a target: the tallest of the Water Tribe men.

Suddenly, Bato seemingly shouted at himself in his head- _duck!_ Bato listened. The fireball sailed over head. The battle kept raging.

The warriors gathered on the deck of the enemy steamer, counting the casualties in battle. The Fire Nation soldiers had sailed off on the second ship when they found themselves outmatched.

"No one killed. The injured will get better soon. This is victory we should be proud of." Hakoda proclaimed.

"I have to say though," Bato started, "I almost became a casualty. A firebender threw a fireball right at me, from behind. I didn't hear him or see him but… I just had this feeling I should duck."

Instead of teasing him or congratulating him on some sort of new warrior sense he had attained, the men relayed their own stories, how they would be one body part less if the hadn't had a sudden rush of guidance.

"It is odd… When I discovered there were more enemies than we first thought, I was planning on pulling back. But I just had this certainty that we'd be alright." Hakoda tossed out. "It seems naïve that I would put the lives of others on the line because of a hunch I had. But now that I know you've all heard some voice in your head, I feel this isn't a coincidence.

Perhaps a spirit has decided to watch over us."

Later that night, the Water Tribe was sailing away from the battle wreckage.

Bato leaned against the railing, besides Hakoda. "Guess we should thank whatever spirit let me walk out of that battle alive." His voice had lost the rigidness of battle.

Hakoda rolled his eyes. "Thank the spirits for making me have to deal with you another day." They shared a chuckle and a comfortable silence.

_Your welcome,_ Hakoda said in his head. _Where had that come from?_

"Seriously though Bato; if you had gotten hurt I would've carried you all the way to the abbey we saw this morning. After I kill the scum that threw the fireball, of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter of pretty unexciting content. Yes I know, shun me. But just a heads up; if you're looking for an epic, action packed, paranormal activity, adventure story, you'd better move on. If this disappoints you I apologize. Kinda. Well its my story really. But I do give you permission to write your own Ghost!Zuko fic. Not like you needed it though.


	4. Ghost

"Hey, Katara," Aang started inquisitively. "Who's that?"

Katara stared out into the bleak arctic. The only thing of interest for miles was the beached iron cruiser Aang had convinced her to explore.

"Where?"

Aang pointed at an empty spot on the horizon. "Right there."

"There's nothing there Aang. Stopping messing around."

Aang slowed his pace. "He's still there Katara. Over there next to the ship."

"There is nothing there. Stop fooling around." Katara was getting jumpy; she stopped walking and scanned around, despite herself. "Come on, let's do this."

Aang continually shifted from looking at Katara to staring at the glowing figure only he could see.

"He's shaking his head. How…how come you can't see him."

"There's nothing there. You're hallucinating Aang. It's cold; you're barely dressed for the South Pole."

Aang's eyebrows creased. "Look harder, he's right there."

"I'm not going to look. There's nothing there. Stop it."

Aang kept staring at the figure, definitely sure it wasn't a mirage.

"Maybe we shouldn't go in."

"What ever happened to 'letting go of your fears'?" Katara's heart was racing.

"I-"Aang turned back to the spot the figure had been. It was gone. "-I think this might be a sign. Let's just go back."

As they made their way back to the tribe, Aang kept glancing behind him and Katara had come to the conclusion he had somehow become a victim of Midnight Sun Madness in the day he'd been here.

The warning flares on the trapped Fire Nation ship went intact another day.

* * *

_Avatar_ , Aang said to himself. He shook himself, he'd been doing everything to try and get the thoughts out of his mind, but it had just suddenly popped up. _Don't think about that. You're just a kid; you couldn't do anything to help them. They're probably just exaggerating about the war. How could the Fire Nation be bad? They have such great parties!_

_Yes, they can be that bad._ Aang stuttered to a halt on his walk by the watch tower. He had been attempting to avoid Sokka, who had been trying to enlist him in his 'army'. _Where did that come from? You don't really think that do you?_

_No, you don't. But I do._ Somehow Aang knew the 'I' hadn't referred to him.

A bluish figure faded into existence before him.

"Wow"

The ghost scowled deeper than before. _You must leave, Avatar._

"Why do I need to leave? Are you a spirit? You must be who I saw before! I knew I hadn't gone crazy!"

_You must leave._ The ghost had said this while closing his eyes and pinching his nose. _The Fire Nation is sending ships to investigate the light that appeared. You're putting this village in danger._

"What light?" Aang was taking his newly found ghost whispering abilities very well. He was a very open minded person.

_The light that shot up when you popped out of that iceberg! Why are you questioning me?_

"You saw that? You know for an all knowing spirit, you're kinda cranky."

_Cranky! I'm trying to help you here! You are such a child- penguin sledding, really? Some Avatar you are, you're just a kid._

"And you're just a teenager."

"Aang? Who are you talking to?" Katara rounded the hut she had been concealed by.

"Yah, Aang? Do you have some sort of communication device on you? Are you talking to the Fire Nation?" Sokka appeared out of the watchtower. He had been planning to interrogate the newcomer but once Aang had started talking it up, he'd decided to wait. "I knew you couldn't be trusted!"

The ghost gave a sigh. _He is not a traitor._

"Sokka, he's not a traitor," Katara assured firmly. "Let him explain. You'll tell us, won't you Aang."

"Of course I will! This is all a misunderstanding."

Sokka thought about it.

_He is not a traitor._

He sighed. "Fine. You're not much of a traitor kinda person anyway. But I could be wrong." Sokka crossed his arms. "Explain. And I want nothing but truth."

Aang, who had been so sure of himself, deflated. How was he going to get himself out of this rut? He'd have to tell the truth, but how to start.

"Okay. So Katara, it turns out I'm not crazy- you know that person I saw earlier? He's right here," at this Aang pointed at the location of him new friend, "He's a ghost, and I can see him."

Sokka looked at him oddly. "You expect me to believe that? Maybe Katara, but not me. You're definitely a spy."

Katara glanced at the spot where the ghost hovered. "How come I can't see him?"

"You're not actually gonna believe him are you? I thought you had more sense than this!" Sokka scoffed.

_I can show them I am here, Aang. Tell them to clear their thoughts. Try to sense the difference between their thoughts and my thoughts._

"Okay guys. He says to empty your head of thoughts."

Sokka looked skeptical. "Why should I listen to you _traitor_ , or your _ghost?_ "

"Please Sokka, just try it."

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms to show his disbelief in other people's lack of discernment. But he stayed quiet.

_The Avatar is not a spy._

"Did you hear that! He said 'the Avatar is not a spy'!" Aang asserted in desperation. He had no idea how to amend the situation.

Sokka seemed to be in a stupor. "I… I did hear it."

Katara's eyes had widened. "I heard it too," she looked at the empty spot that might actually not be as empty as she thought, more critically. "But what does the Avatar have to do with any of this."

The ghost looked at Aang accusingly. _You didn't even tell them did you? What were you planning to do!? Lay back at the South Pole and let the Fire Nation burn the world to the ground!_

"Unless…" Katara drew out, no longer aware of the barrier between her thoughts and the ghost's.

_Well then, enjoy the next few days because the Fire Nation is going to wipe this place off the map by next week!_

"The Fire Nation! Here!" Sokka parroted, momentarily forgetting he was conversing with the supernatural.

"Aang…"

_Maybe when it's all over, you and the rest of this tribe could wander the world with me. Because when those soldiers leave, there will be no one left to give you a decent funeral!_

"What aren't you telling us?"

The ghost huffed.

_Explain to them. Now._

* * *

_Fly a bit more to the left. You're almost in their line of sight._

"I can't see them. Where are they, I should meet them, maybe they're not as bad as we think."

"Aang, I've told you a thousand times, we've been at war for a hundred years. They are definitely badder than you think."

" _Worse,_ Sokka."

"See Katara agrees with me."

"Actually, I was correcting your grammar. But the Fire Nation is pretty bad, Aang. They're not like the people you knew back then."

_They've spotted you. Get as far away from them as you can, but keep going north. I'll make sure they don't think about going back to search the south._

"How are you gonna do that?"

_I can be pretty convincing. Especially when people think what I say are their own thoughts. People trust themselves more than they should._

Katara was startled out of her thoughts when Aang steered Appa hard right. "What did he say? Did it have to do with the Northern Tribe?"

"Yah, he's just reminding us to keep north. But we'll make a few stops, of course. First off, the Southern Air Temple."

_Don't waste your time, there's nothing there worth seeing. I'll go check on the ships. Good Luck._ He faded away.

"Wait! That sounds like a goodbye! You're coming back aren't you!" Aang whipped his head around, trying to see his new friend. "I didn't even ask his name."

Sokka snorted. "You did. It was 'what does it matter', remember?"

"He'll be back, don't worry. I don't think a spirit would take an interest in you and just leave."

"Yah, but… It's not like he needs to stay. He could just leave and… it wouldn't affect him at all."

Sokka raised an eyebrow. "So suddenly your little friend isn't trustworthy. I'm beginning to question whether he really existed and you aren't just pulling my leg."

"Sokka, of course he exists. We both heard him remember, how could Aang have done that?"

He shrugged, "Well, how do we know he's on our side, then?"

Aang opened his mouth ready to defend his friend but found that he had no shield to defend him with.

"See you can't answer that. I mean all he's done is get us spotted by the Fire Nation. In fact now that I think about it that could easily put him on the enemy side."

"He did that to protect your tribe."

"How do you know that? Maybe that was just a cover, maybe he's off filling them in on how we're headed to the North Pole. Great, now the Fire Nation has ghosts on their side."

"Sokka, don't assume things so quickly." Katara quipped.

"Whatever. All I'm saying is that we shouldn't be too trusting in the supernatural. That includes your bending magic. I find material objects," at this he pulled a boomerang from his pack, "much more reliable."

"Well Sokka, no matter what you say, I still love waterbending. And I trust the spirits. And I especially trust you, Aang."

Aang smiled widely from his seat on Appa's head. "Thanks Katara, that means a lot to me."

* * *

_What was that? Is this what you've been doing all this time, breaking prisoners out of jail? You're supposed to be half way to the North Pole by now!_

Aang decided to ignore the reprimanding tone in the thoughts and instead celebrate his friend's return.

"Your back!" Aang brought his arms halfway up, quickly lowering them down when he realized trying to hug a ghost would be futile. "Sokka almost decided you weren't real!" What he didn't add was that he himself had almost written off the encounter weeks ago as hallucinatory.

"Where have you been? It's been days! We went to the Southern Air Temple, then we met the Kyoshi warriors, then I met my old friend Bumi in Omashu and we just finished breaking those earthbenders out of jail!"

The ghost scowled. _You were meant to go straight to the North Pole. Is this some kind of joke to you?_

"Who're you talking to?" Katara asked, stretching out after being woken up. Sokka stayed unperturbed on Appa's saddle.

"He's back… the ghost I mean. By the way what's your name?"

_What does it matter?_

"Oh come on, I can't just keep calling you 'the ghost' all the time. We should get to know each other."

The ghost didn't oblige.

"I'll start. My name's Aang, I lived at the Southern Air Temple give or take a hundred years ago. I'm 112 years old, I'm the Avatar and I love fruit pies." At the word 'fruit pies' Momo scrambled out from his nook between Sokka's arms. "Oh yeah we haven't introduced you to Momo. Momo this is-" Aang gestured expectantly at the spirit.

He chose to ignore them for a moment but found that Aang would not turn the attention away from him. Katara, even though she knew there was someone there, found it odd that Aang was introducing his pet lemur to an empty space. Momo showed no sign of knowing the ghost's presence.

The ghost sighed.

_Zuko. My name is Zuko._

Aang smiled. "Momo meet Zuko, Zuko meet Momo."

Zuko scowled. _Hurry up and get to the North. Stop wasting time._ He faded away, but Aang felt happy to have learned more about his new friend.

"I wonder if he's lonely."

"What do you mean Katara?"

"Well, you might be the only one who can see him. If I died and ended up wandering the world without anybody to talk to, I'd probably go mad."

"I didn't even think of that. I wonder where he runs off to."

"I wonder how he died. And why isn't he in the Spirit World or some kind of afterlife?"

"I don't know. Maybe I should ask him next time. Or do you think that'd be a touchy subject."

Katara shrugged. She settled back down on the saddle but doubted she could go back to sleep.

"Hey, Aang, you can see him right? What does he look like?"

"Well, he's completely blue. Not like a dark blue but kind of a transparent light blue. I guess blue is just a spirity color. And he kind of glows. Not really glowing, not like a fire or anything but I could see him really clearly in the dark right now."

Katara chuckled. "Blue but not blue and glowing but not really glowing. How old does he look like?"

"Older than you and me. Maybe a little older than Sokka, he's just a teenager."

"But that doesn't tell us much. Maybe ghosts can choose how old they look. He might have lived to be a hundred or died young. I wonder if he'd tell us. What else can you tell me about him?"

Aang pondered for a moment.

"His hair was short and was a darker blue than most of him, maybe he had dark hair. And his eyes were kind of light. His clothes kinda looked Fire Nation, actually he looked like he came from the Fire Nation, and Zuko is a Fire Nation name!"

"Do you think that's a bad thing?"

"I don't think that changes anything. Maybe he's just better than the rest of the Fire Nation or maybe he died back when they were good and thinks the war needs to stop."

"You're probably right. But I hope we can get to know him more."

"You should sleep now Katara, it'll be awhile till we reach land."

"You've been up for a while, maybe I should take the reins."

"You've been up for a while too."

"Stop being so noble. You need to rest."

"No, it's alright really."

"Do you really want to get into this?"

"…"

"How about we just wake Sokka up, he's gotten more than his fair share of sleep tonight."

* * *

"Stupid spirit monster. Stupid Aang. He better get me out of here, and once he does he's going to get it. I don't know what 'it' is, but he's gonna get it." Sokka paced anxiously around the sector of bamboo forest he'd popped into when Hei Bai had dragged him into the Spirit World.

"All this spirit magic makes no sense. Not like science, that makes sense, that's reliable, but this? One second you're about to be eaten by a four-armed, black and white monster and the next second you're in the middle of nowhere." He kicked around the dirt at his feet. "You better come through Aang."

_Sokka?_ He said in his head.

_Yep, that's my name._

He glanced up and found a blue figure materializing in front of him.

_What are you doing here?_

Sokka scrambled backwards, grabbing hold of his boomerang. "Fire Nation ghost! What do you want from me?"

The ghost snorted, and gave him an 'are you serious face'. _It's me, Zuko. The guy who's been following you around all this time._

Sokka let his boomerang dip, happy he wasn't going to have to fight the undead, but raised it back up. "How do I know it's you?"

Zuko rolled his eyes. _How many spirits claim to know you in the course of a day? Now what are you doing here. You don't look dead to me._

"Got dragged in by some spirit monster, now I'm stuck here." Sokka explained, deciding to trust the ghost. Also it had been lonely in the bamboo forest, he wanted someone to talk to.

Zuko raised his eyebrows in surprise. _Do the others know?_

"Yah. I'm counting on Aang to get me outta here."

The spirit looked around rather awkwardly. _Guess you'll be here for a while. Need some company, I know how lonely it can feel here._

Sokka looked at Zuko, taking in his sight, his stature. He looked older than him. Also his clothing and appearance were distinctly Fire Nation.

"Sure. Mind if I ask you a few questions."

_Well as long as they're not too touchy-_

"Are you Fire Nation, you kinda seem like it?"

Zuko thought about whether this counted as a touchy subject, but decided if he was going to help these people, he might as well open up.

_Yes, I am._

"And you're not against us? You want your own nation taken down?"

_I love my nation, I still do. But their leader is a tyrant, a maniac that needs to be taken down._

"Go figure. So what made you see the light, so to speak?" At this Sokka chose to sit down, a clear sign that he didn't expect this conversation to be over anytime soon

Zuko settled down in a sitting position, technically hovering over the ground but no one could tell the difference.

_Death_. He said meeting Sokka's eyes.

"What happened?" He said, truly curious.

Zuko pondered this. It was still a painful memory; a bitter, hated, shameful memory. He didn't want to think about it, much less talk about it. Sometimes it fueled his drive to end the war, other times it made him miss the people he knew, sometimes it made him ashamed in once thinking his father cared about him and every now and again it made him think of his marred body, floating somewhere at sea. So he tried to form an answer that wouldn't lead to further questions.

_I was killed for trying to help my people._

The closed in way he said it made Sokka realize he didn't want to discuss the matter any further.

"So, what do you do when you're not haunting us? Do you spy on people or just walk through walls for fun or something."

_I help my uncle. He's the only one other than the Avatar that can see me. I pick up information, run messages for him, do what I can to end this war._

They sat around for a few empty moments before Sokka voiced a question he'd once thought about.

"Uh…hey Zuko? You know since you're a ghost or whatever, I was wondering whether you've met someone who I knew."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. _Who?_

"My mom. She was killed in a raid back when my sister and I were kids."

Zuko looked pained. _No, I'm sorry to hear that. I've only been dead for three years and unless you didn't give her a funeral, she's probably at peace in the afterlife._

Sokka nodded. "That's good to hear," he spent a few seconds distraught, trying to remember his mother's face, when a thought popped into his head, "But why are you still here then?"

Zuko scowled. _The Fire Lord decided I had dishonored myself, he didn't allow a proper service, just ordered my body to be dumped in the sea._

"Harsh." Sokka imagined sailing in his canoe and looking down to see a dead body bobbing in the waves. Not pretty.

_My uncle offered to perform the rites when I met him again, but I had unfinished business to deal with._

They were in a term of contemplative silence when the bamboo around them seemed to thicken in one spot, growing warmer and more alive than the rest.

_That must be the exit. Looks like Aang came through after all._

"Yah, well it's been nice getting to see you and all but I think I'll go now. The Spirit World's great and what-not but it does not have bathrooms.

Zuko chuckled. _Try not to get dragged in here again._

Sokka took one last look at their angsty spirit guide, and wondered whether this would be the first and last time he'd get to see him.

* * *

"What are you doing in Fire Nation waters? Do you want to be shot down?"

Aang turned towards the unfamiliar voice and was met by a vaguely familiar face. It was odd seeing him back at 13 years old, in full color, and with _half his face burned off._ Aang's eyes widened in alarm as well as Sokka's, who mumbled "Zuko" under his breath when he faced the figure that appeared on Appa's saddle. Katara, who had never seen him before, looked horrified and very confused.

Zuko looked at their overwhelmed expressions before looking down at his hands. They looked real enough to be able to grab at Appa's reins and make a U-turn out of Fire Nation waters, but he knew from experience that it wouldn't work.

"Today's the solstice, isn't it?" He asked already knowing the answer, fully conscious of being able to hear his own voice.

Aang nodded vaguely. "Zuko… what- what happened? You look… different?"

"By that he means horrifying." Sokka added bluntly.

"You… you're the ghost?" Katara questioned.

He looked at them, considering whether he could just fade away and never have to think about this encounter again. He decided against it, they'd probably interrogate him about it later.

He sighed. "The Spirit World and the physical world are closest during the solstices. Today's the Winter Solstice, so I appear like this. People can see me, they can hear me if they choose to, but I look like this. This is what I looked like the moment I died."

Katara looked over the marred skin of his face, the hair closest to it burned to the roots, and wondered how painful it must have been. "You… what did you do?"

Once it came out her mouth she cringed at how harsh that might have come over.

"You said you were killed for trying to help others. But how… why are you like this." Sokka added stupefied.

"Zuko… you look barely any older than me."

Zuko looked down, the painful memories bubbling up again. "It-it was an Agni Kai. The Firelord ordered me to duel him, for disrespecting him. I didn't want to. He-he was my- "Zuko scoffed at his old, idiotic loyalty, "-my ruler. I couldn't fight him, and he had no room for weakness in his nation."

He looked at his companions, who still seemed dazed. He'd had enough of this secret spilling session. Time to get back to task.

"You better have a good reason for going in the Fire Nation."

"Aa…Avatar Roku, he wants me to go to Crescent island." Aang seemed to be regaining function.

"Well, I guess you can't ignore him. Alright, try not to be shot down, there's a barricade coming up. Must be Zhao again." Zuko looked Aang in the eye, hoping his mauled features would make the Avatar attentive. "Fly as high as you dare, do what you need to do then get out. The commander in charge of those ships is a maniac."

Zuko started fading away, jumping from one spot to another before reaching the line of iron warships. _Maybe it was a good thing today was the solstice. I'm already considered a bad omen, maybe that'll be enough to scare them._

Zuko looked at his hands. On these days he always wondered what he looked like, what was so bad about his face it left the Avatar and his companions dumbfounded. It wasn't like he showed up in mirrors. What had his father done to him?

Zuko looked back at the sky bison who was rapidly ascending into the clouds.

"You better come through for me, Avatar."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN:
> 
> And the plot thickens. Kind of.


	5. Guide

_Where's that scroll?_ Katara asked herself as she ruffled around the supplies. _There it is. Okay, now quietly, don't want to wake them._ She took a glance at Aang and her brother sleeping soundly, Sokka in his sleeping roll and Aang curled up in Appa's fur.

_Why am I so nervous? It's just a bit of practice, what's the harm? I just need to get on the same level as Aang._ She crept away from the group, towards the river they had passed earlier that day. Halfway through the trek, she was struck by a thought.

_So let me get this straight; you're jealous of the Avatar for surpassing you in waterbending, so you stole a scroll from pirates and are now going to sneak away to practice._

Katara looked back at her actions, reviewing them made them seem much more petty and immature.

_Maybe I should rethink this._

_You should. And the fact that those pirates you stole from are combing the forest looking for you should be an extra incentive._

She cast an eye around her, suddenly feeling less alone. The invasive feeling came from the thought of pirates, but mostly from the memory of a certain phantom guide.

"Is that you, Zuko?" She whispered.

_Yes, it is._

She instinctually looked around, wondering where one was meant to look when conversing with a ghost. She chose the ground.

"I guess I must seem a bit childish."

He stayed silent for a moment and Katara wondered momentarily whether he had vanished.

_I wouldn't call you childish. We all get jealous sometimes, sometimes it makes us want to be better, like you. Other times it may make you feel worthless._

"Yah. I guess so. It's just that Aang gets the hang of things so easily, like he's not even trying. And I can't even get a stupid waterwhip right. I know I should be hoping Aang can learn quickly, but… but it just feels so unfair."

Zuko seemed to take another pensive silence.

_My sister was like that. She was a prodigy. But you're getting jealous at the Avatar here, he was born with a gift. Besides, if he keeps up his carefree attitude, you'll surpass him eventually._

"You really think I could be better than the _Avatar_?"

_He has no discipline, he can't work on talent alone. And you are his waterbending master aren't you?_

"More like partners really."

_That'll change one day. Now you should get moving. I wasn't lying about those pirates._

She nodded and started trekking back to camp. A few paces in and she decided to turn back.

"Zuko?" She called out, unsure if he had already left. "Thanks."

* * *

_That was a disaster._

"I just hope Jeong Jeong got out okay." Katara added, sullenly. "He was bit of a grouch, but he was trying to help us. And he helped me figure out this water healing thing." She scanned the trees from her perch on Appa's back.

_He's fine. He'll have to relocate, but he's got connections. I think we should just continue north._

"Yah, that's probably best. I don't need firebending." Aang said grimly.

"Aang, is this about the training accident? I'm fine, I can heal myself now. I might not have found that out if it didn't happen."

"No, Katara. I hurt you. Firebending is useless and I'm never going to try it again."

Appa grumbled, sensing his owner's discontent.

Sokka looked at him quizzically. "I hate the Fire Nation just as much as the next guy, and what you did to my sister was not okay, but isn't that a little too far? You can't just ignore an element. Isn't the Avatar supposed to be like, the keeper of balance or something?"

_He's right Aang. You'll have to learn it eventually._

"Why do I need to learn firebending?! That's the enemy's weapon."

_That's why you should know it._

"All fire does is hurt people! Look at Katara, look at the Fire Nation!"

_What happened to all the, 'maybe the Fire Nation isn't so bad' attitude? Look Aang; you played with fire, you got burned. Take it as a lesson._

"Whatever. It's not like I've got anyone to teach me now. Last I checked, every firebender other that Jeong Jeong was against us."

_You've got me._

"You're a firebender?" Katara asked, then added gladly, "You could teach Aang! This is great, we'll find a waterbending master in the north, and it won't be too hard to find a master earthbender, we're all set."

_Uh, I don't know about teaching Aang. I was a firebender, but spirits can't bend. I could show him some moves but I am in no way a master. But you could visit my uncle in Ba Sing Se._

"Who ever said I would learn?"

Zuko huffed. _He'll straighten you out when you meet him. He has a way with people. And tea._

* * *

_You ready, Aang?_

The Avatar took in the sight in front of him; rows upon rows of iron streaks, smoke trailing behind them, black snow lightly falling.

"I have to be. I can't run away again."

Zuko turned to towards the sea; even knowing that they couldn't really hurt him he still felt endangered, insignificant. He wondered how Aang felt with so much to lose.

Zuko nodded solemnly. _You're a brave kid, Aang. I don't think I'd have the courage to have done what you're doing when I was twelve._

Aang turned to him. "You did when you were thirteen, though."

Zuko brought a hand to his face, where the final blow had been struck.

"Come on. You'll be watching my back, right?"

_Yah, of course._

Aang opened his glider and soared towards the enemy, with Zuko materializing besides him every few seconds.

_Left! Dodge left!_ The warning registered and the fiery missile flew wide. _Okay, get in low, let's see if we can get some collateral damage._

"You want me to go _into_ the firing range!"

_Uh… yes. Just- just trust me okay._

Deciding he did trust him, Aang dove into the warzone. He could hear the warriors bark out orders, close enough to hear the sea churn and catapults tensing.

_Between those vents! Come on!_

Aang followed his orders. A warhead found its mark in the smokestacks.

_Hey! It worked!_

"A little too close, though!" Aang interjected. The heat had been a little too intense for a second there. "You're lucky my glider didn't burn up!"

_Oh. Sorry. I'll remember that. Okay, okay- go high._

At some point in battle, Aang had given up on trying to dodge anything, having faith in Zuko's ability to guide him. The plan had worked well; with so many ships and only one target, the catapult's missiles found themselves crashing back on their allies. It was evident they were hoping to take the Northern Water Tribe by pure numbers. And soon, it felt like they would.

"There's too many of them." Aang panted after making his way back into the city's walls. "There's just too many. Every one I destroy, another one pops up. I-I don't know what to do." Aang crumpled to his knees, convinced he had failed as the Avatar again.

"No, Aang. You can't give up hope." Katara crouched down next to him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Then how. How could we beat them?"

Katara thought about it, scrambling for answers in the middle of battle. "Meditate. Maybe Roku can help you. Come on, the Fire Nation should be falling back around now."

"No, I can't just sit back and let them fight. I need to get back out there."

"You just admitted you couldn't beat them on your own. Yue, do you anywhere Aang could go to meditate?"

She nodded her head. "The Spirit Oasis. Follow me."

* * *

Zuko waited anxiously at the entrance of the cave. What did the kid think he was doing? Did he want to get his face stolen? His worries were deemed unnecessary when Aang walked out of the spirit creature's den, face fully intact.

_I can't believe it. You just went against Koh. Aang… that's incredible_

Aang just nodded, knowing there wasn't any time to think deeply into it. "Come on, we need to get back, I know what I need to know."

Zuko nodded before fading out of the Spirit World.

Aang followed soon after. Katara's voice greeted him.

"Aang! Help!"

He whipped his head towards her voice in time to see her raise a wall of snow to defend against a firebender's attack.

_Zhao._ Zuko's thought seethed with hate.

Aang reacted quickly, swinging his legs around sending a gust of wind at the attackers.

"Get away from her!" Aang launched himself up and landed beside her, holding his staff out warningly

Katara panted but kept up her battle stance. "Yue went to find help." Katara pointed her chin at one of the soldiers, he had a distinct armor from the rest and his faced wasn't covered with a helmet. "It's him again."

The firebenders had regained their stance, prepared to attack. Zhao strode towards them, proud and unafraid. "Give it up Avatar, you're outnumbered. Let's settle this peacefully and no one gets hurt."

"Like I'd believe that. I'm asking you to surrender, there's no need for all this violence."

"Exactly what I'm saying."

_Surrender Zhao._

They glared at each other. Zhao slowly lowered his chin. "As you wish." Fire rushed towards the two who defended easily. The guards kept them busy but they were fighting against a waterbending master on the full moon and the Avatar.

Aang turned towards the oasis, where the admiral had crouched by as they were distracted. He reached a hand into the pond.

Aang's eyes widened. "Let the fish go." He threatened, punctuating each word. Katara's knees suddenly grew shaky, unknowingly she began sinking to the ground.

Zhao stood up, the koi held out in front of him, smirking. "I see you realize its importance. That makes this victory so much sweeter."

Aang readied himself, "Zhao…"

He tightened his grasp on the fish. "One move Avatar."

He took deep breaths, surprised to find that his mind was unusually calm. "Let the spirit go Zhao. You need them as much as we do."

"Like I'd believe that. You just want to save yourself and you can't do that without your precious little moon."

Zuko didn't know why the koi were so special. Trusting Aang though, he decided that maybe he could help. Zhao wouldn't listen to Aang, but he would listen to himself.

_Let the fish go._

"You can't do this Zhao, it'll throw the world out of balance even more than it already is."

_Angering spirits will never end well._

"Firebenders need the moon, too. It brings balance."

_You will hurt your nation. The Firelord will not be pleased._

Zhao's grasp slowly loosened, his smile faltering.

_It is not your place to deal with spirits. Let it go._

Zuko could sense he was beginning to rethink. What could push him over the edge?

Unbeknownst to the admiral, Yue's reinforcements had arrived, stealthily, knowing the stakes were high and the element of surprise could be the pivotal piece to victory.

Reassurance.

"Zhao you're making a big mistake. This will hurt everyone."

_Let the fish go. You can still win. You have the resources, with or without this you can claim the city. You'll win either way, but this may have consequences._

"Please Zhao, let the spirit go."

_I will let it go. This is the better choice._

Zhoa dropped the koi back into the pond, the splash echoing in the silence.

Aang released the breath he had been holding. In that brief moment, Zhao's expression of defeat contorted into a face of fierce determination and blind anger. Zuko had lost his grip.

As he threw his arm back to fire the fatal blow, Sokka's boomerang loosed itself from his fingers. Sometimes his lack of trust proved invaluable.

Zhao fell back, unconscious, the moon shining brightly on high. The boomerang returned swiftly back to its owner.

* * *

Aang patted the bison's head. "C'mon Appa, we're going to have to get to Omashu ourselves."

Sokka made his way out the building into the green where the bison sat, carrying their belongings. "Okay, let's get out of here. These people are insane! They almost killed Katara trying to get you in the Avatar State!"

"I've gotta agree with you there, Sokka." Katara hefted herself into the saddle. "Let's just get to Omashu, who needs an escort."

Zuko took a deep breath. He knew the riot he was about to cause.

"What's wrong Zuko?" Aang looked at him questioningly. Katara and Sokka faces flashed with confusion, then concentrated to hear what he wanted to say. It became commonplace that Aang had to announce his presence before he said anything. The others sometimes forgot and ended up repeating what he said.

_We can't go to Omashu._

"What? Why not?" Aang asked disbelievingly. "We need Bumi to teach me earthbending."

_He can't Aang._

"What! Bumi is a great earthbender, he might be little crazy but he could definitely teach me."

_I know that. Omashu's been captured by the Fire Nation._

It took a second to sink in. Sokka spluttered, "That's impossible! Omashu's the Earth Kingdom's second greatest stronghold after Ba Sing Se. It couldn't have been taken."

_It can and it was._

"Even if it has been we still need to go there and help. We need to make sure Bumi's okay." Katara reasoned.

"We need to go there and break Bumi out! He's in trouble, we have to go."

_No, Aang you can't._

"What's wrong with you we need to go help! We can't just leave them!"

_You have to Aang, we can't fight an army. You can find another earthbending master._

"How could you say that! He's my friend, he needs us."

Zuko growled. He knew suggesting the idea would be trouble, it didn't mean he had to like it. Aang didn't know where to cut his losses.

_We can't do anything to help, we just need to keep moving. The only way to help him is by stopping the Firelord._

"That's just what you think! Of course you'd say that, you're dead you can't do anything. But I can!"

Zuko was taken by surprise; Aang usually wasn't so harsh. He almost lashed out, but decided not to. Bumi may be his one connection to his old life. And he was right anyway.

_I spoke with Bumi. He gave up the city Aang, he told me he was waiting for the right time. I think we should do the same._

"He gave up the city… Why-why would he do that?"

Katara looked at the deflated Aang. "I still don't feel right about just leaving him alone."

_Even if you did go, he'd tell you what he told me._

"What did he tell you?"

_Some stuff about jing and energy. He told me Aang needs to find someone who's mastered neutral jing. Someone who waits and listens for the right moment to strike._

Aang gripped on the reins tightly. "You're right. We have to move."

The bison launched itself into the sky. The cape of regret hung heavily.

Aang kept his eyes on Appa's head. "So you can talk to Bumi too now, huh?"

Zuko shrugged. _He isn't unfamiliar with hearing other voices in his head._ Aang still looked melancholic. _You'll see him again, when the time's right._

* * *

"He's a what, now?"

"Yup, a ghost. I still find it a little hard to believe."

_What are you talking about, Sokka? You've seen me already! Twice!_

"It's not that hard to believe. I talk to people I can't see all the time!"

"So you believe us? That's great! Trust is an important part in any friendship." Aang happily chimed in.

"Whoa, hold on there, Twinkletoes; just because I believe in your little ghost friend doesn't mean I trust him. I mean, I can't sense him, you can see him, we don't even know he's there unless he decides to pipe up."

_It's not like I can help it!_

"Where are you going with this, Toph? I'm telling you, Zuko is a very trustworthy person. Or um… spirit, anyway, he's completely on our side." Aang assured.

"That's nice and all; but how do we know he's not look at things he shouldn't be?"

Katara quickly reddened at what Toph had been implicating. "Toph! Why would you even think that?"

"Hey, I'm just throwing out ideas. But when you really think about it, what's stopping him?"

"Toph!"

"What? Zuko's a valued part of this team, we're not keeping any secrets from him. There's nothing he shouldn't be seeing, right?"

Toph laughed at Aang's naivety and Katara buried her face in her hands. At this point, Sokka started to understand what Toph had been implying.

"Whoa. No, no, nope. Where is that guy, Zuko! You've been awfully quiet! Where are you! If I find out you've been spying on my sister, you sick pervert, I'll- "

_I haven't Sokka! I've never spied on any of you! Toph… I…I -why would you even think that I would?_

"And why should I believe that, coming from you!" Sokka accused, screaming at an empty spot in front of him, hoping he was pointing at the direction of the perpetrator. He wasn't.

Toph grinned evilly. "Oh, well I just thought that maybe you get a little… lonely from time to time."

Zuko made a number of unintelligible sounds. _Why- why… spirits, Toph_. _What made you believe I would do that? How- how am I even supposed to prove myself?_

Toph was amused at the chaos she had created, but decided she didn't want to create any major rifts in the group. "Okay everyone, why don't we all just simmer down? I wasn't really serious you know. I really doubt some spirit who's been saving your butts from day one would secretly be some sort of peeping tom."

Sokka straightened himself out, still tense. "If I get even a hint of you looking at us funny, you're gonna get it, ghosty."

"He's dead Sokka, What could you do to him?"

He huffed, and lifted his chin in the air. "I've lost all sense of privacy in this world."

Zuko groaned and Aang could see his shoulders slump in defeat. _You all have such great confidence in me._

Aang was pretty sure that was sarcasm. "I still don't really get what we're talking about, but I definitely still trust you, Zuko."

* * *

They warned them at the same time.

_Someone's chasing you._

"I feel something coming towards us. Something big"

The group drowsily packed, flew, landed and remade camp a bison ride away.

_I'll see who's following us. Maybe I can get them to leave._

The gaang wasn't woken up again that night.

Meanwhile, Zuko had managed to convince a few engineers to take a break. He spent another while speculating what this new threat meant to his friends and the rest of the night attempting to speak to a certain knife thrower. If she had been swayed, Zuko for the death of him couldn't tell.

He appeared the next morning drained, which was not natural as, being dead, he no longer had any bodily needs.

_Get moving. They'll be back eventually._

* * *

The desert spanned across them in every direction, endless, formidable. From his place on Appa's back, Aang watched Wan Shi Tong's library crumble into the sand.

Toph watched with unseeing eyes, still puffing from keeping the library aloft. "That was too close. Way too close."

Aang stroked the bison's head. "I don't know what I would've done if we lost you Appa. You're my best friend."

"Hey, how about me?"

"Yah, you too Sokka." Aang looked at Zuko's form, having to chase after them by appearing and reappearing every few seconds. "Thanks for warning us Zuko."

_Don't thank me._ He huffed. _Thank Toph, she held up an entire temple for you._

* * *

A short flight on Appa later, the group found themselves in Ba Sing Se, where they were welcomed and escorted to their quarters. After the evening of being handled by the cryptic Joo Dee, the gaang had had enough.

"Why don't we just ride into the palace on Appa? We'd get things done a lot sooner."

_I think that's a little too drastic, Sokka._

"I think that's a bit over the top, Sokka."

"Zuko said that Katara."

She looked a little bashful. "Uh, sorry, I forget you're there sometimes."

_It's okay. Maybe we should go see my uncle tomorrow. Maybe he can give us some advice._

The next day, it came to be.

_Over there. The Jasmine Dragon, that's his teashop._

"Where? Where is- there it is! Come on you guys! I see it!"

_Calm down, Aang. You attract enough attention without jumping around like that._

Katara squinted at the direction Aang seemed to be gravitating to. "That one? It looks really nice, I can't wait to meet your uncle. What were we meant to call him? Mushy?"

_Mushi._ Zuko corrected.

"Well, I hope uncle _Mushi_ 's tea lives up to the legend." Toph had heard Zuko compliment his uncle's brewing more than enough times.

_From how much other people like it, I'd say it does. I don't really remember how anything tastes like._

Sokka sulked at the back, still a little bummed from their attempt to request an audience with the Earth King. Why did his plans always have to break apart? "I just hope there's something nice to eat. I could really use something good today."

_Umm, well it's a tea shop, so I don't know. Maybe._

"Great. I officially hate this city."

"Don't be so bummed out Sokka. This could be nice; just a calm evening together sipping tea," Aang chimed from the head of the group, "And maybe he can help us with our problem with the Earth King."

They neared the shop, they noted that it seemed much bigger and more ornate than from a distance. "It feels pretty lonely in there."

"It looks pretty empty as well, Toph." Katara agreed.

Zuko was not deterred. _Come on. I told him you'd be coming, guess he didn't want any distractions so he closed the shop._

"That's good I guess." Katara answered. "Anyone else feel kind of self-conscious?"

Aang smiled back at her, "Yeah, I kinda feel a little jittery. He seems like a really nice guy from what you've told us Zuko, and I feel like I need to impress him or something."

_Don't be._ They had reached the main entrance; wooden double doors laden with gold dragon engravings. The group cluttered around the door.

After a few seconds of staring at the door Zuko rolled his eyes. _I'll see you inside when one of you decides to knock._ He then promptly walked through the wall.

They looked up at the doors. Aang walked up readying his hand to knock, hovering in front of the wooden panels. Toph groaned in annoyance from behind. He took a deep breath. "Here goes." He made a quiet thump.

In a fluid motion Toph pushed him away and swung the doors wide.

She threw up her hands as she stomped into the room. "We're meeting an old man not the Firelord, you sissies."

Zuko chuckled at her entrance. They had no idea how ironic that statement had been.

"Toph! You can't just barge into someone's house like that!" Katara and the rest of the group swiftly entered the shop. It was bright and airy with chairs and tables dotted neatly around, elaborate but worn with a very peaceful feel.

They heard a deep chuckle from one of the adjoining rooms. "I assure you it is quite alright, miss. You and your companions are welcome here at any time." An old man walked out of the room, wiping his hands on his apron.

"Mr. Mushi sir!" Aang punctuated with a formal bow, quickly followed by the others. "We're so sorry about coming in like that. Toph's a little…"

"I'm a little what, Twinkletoes?"

He smiled kindly. "No need for apologies. Have a seat, I've already put the pot on. I hope you all like jasmine."

* * *

"So they said our request was being processed. She said it could take a month!"

"Six to eight weeks, actually."

"Whatever. But we have information that could finally stop this war! This could change everything. The Earth King needs to hear this as quickly as possible; I say we storm the castle and make him listen to us."

The man sipped his tea. "Before you decide on any action, you should know the inner workings of this city. The Earth King is not in control of his nation."

...

"So the Long Feng controls the city."

"Yes. If you want support for your plan, you will not get it from him."

"Then we have to tell the Earth King."

"Not without unmistakable proof. He will trust his advisor much more than you; especially if you break into his castle."

...

"This is really good tea, uncle. And I'm not much of a tea person."

_What did I tell you, Toph?_

"Thank you, miss. The secret ingredient is _love._ "

_Uncle…_

...

"If you don't mind me asking, sir, why do we have to call you Mushi?"

"I am a firebender in the heart of Ba Sing Se. I suspect that the Dai Li are wary of me, if they knew my real name, they would arrest me immediately."

"Really?"

"It is quite a well known name."

...

"So… could you teach me firebending?"

"I certainly could, but I won't. The Dai Li is likely watching us, I can teach you forms but not much else."

...

"So what do we do now?"

"Go home and rest. Wait for the right moment to strike, but for now, rest."

"Hey, that's what Bumi told us too!"

"Did he now?"

...

"Here, take some tea to go."

"Oh no, it's really okay sir, I can make tea at home."

"I have trust in your abilities miss Katara, but sharing a cup of tea with friends is one of the greatest joys in life. Visit again soon."

...

"Your uncle is awesome, Zuko."

_Uh, thanks. I guess._

* * *

They had been getting ready for the day, making full use of the luxuries they had. Taking proper showers, shaving whatever hair needed to be cut, and Toph took advantage to being able to sleep in. Of course, the lazy atmosphere didn't last long.

"Toph, get up! Zuko says there's a giant drill at the outer wall!"

"Say what now, Twinkletoes?"

"A giant drill! He says it's huge!"

"Guys have you seen my water skin?"

"Where'd my sharpening rock go!?"

They eventually made it onto Appa, a little slower than anyone wanted. By the time they made it to the wall, the Earth Kingdom's Terra Team had been immobilized by the Fire Nation.

Sokka gawked at the massive hunk of metal, inching itself towards the city, groaning and blowing steam every few moments.

"That thing is amazing. If it wasn't about to tear us apart, I'd call it beautiful."

_What do we do about it?_

The gaang instinctively turned to Sokka. "What?"

"Well, you're the idea guy. What do we do?" Katara pointed out.

"Oh, so I'm the only one who can come up with ideas? That's a lot of pressure."

"You're also the complaints guy."

"That I'm fine with that."

"Do you know anything Zuko?" Aang asked.

_Me? I can go spy on people for you but I've never been any good at ideas._

"Well, what do you know?"

_Um… The people leading it are the same people that were chasing us back when Toph just joined the group. That's the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation, Azula, and her…_ What could he call them? Henchman? Sidekicks? _…friends. A chi blocker and a knife thrower._

Sokka looked on at the drill. "You're telling me the Firelord's kid, and her deadly posse, are in charge of that thing?"

"A chi blocker? What's that?" Katara questioned.

_A person who can hit certain points on their enemies that causes them to loses their bending. Or paralyses them. It's not permanent, but very, very effective._

The sight of the metal giant filled her with even more dread. "And the princess has one on her side. And a knife thrower."

Zuko nodded silently. _Ty Lee and Mai. They're the ones who took down the ground soldiers._

"Just two of them?"

"Ooh, ooh, ooh! I've got it! We can stop the drill the way a chi blocker beats someone! Hit its pressure points!"

A plan was quickly formulated, knowing time was of the essence. Toph was a pivotal part in the execution; getting them to the ground with a rock elevator, creating a dust storm for cover, forming a hole to tunnel under the huge metal structure. But as the team swung inside the steel interior, she broke off.

"I'm not going in there; I can't bend. I'll do what I can to slow it down from here."

Aang gave a quick nod, forgetting she couldn't see, then swung inside.

"Okay, we're going to need some schematics." Sokka took a look around the interior, pipes and valves twisting around and disappearing, hissing steam and heat. "Can you lead us anywhere Zuko?"

_There's a lone engineer down that hall. He's got a scroll with him, maybe it's what we need._ Zuko floated in the direction he mentioned.

"Care to lead us down the hall Aang? We don't all have ghost vision."

"Oh right, sorry." Aang took his spot behind Zuko, Katara and Sokka tailing him.

_Right here._

The engineer was frozen in place in an instance, courtesy of Katara. Sokka scanned the scroll.

"This'll do. Look the inside of this thing and the outer shell are separate. They're connected by these braces; if we break them this contraption will collapse."

_Those braces…_ Zuko flashed out for a few seconds, then reappeared. _Come on, follow me._

The next few minutes were filled with the screech of water slicing through metal, the groaning of beams, and the waterbenders panting in exhaustion. Zuko hovered around guiltily, giving them updates on the situation, checking on Toph, and feeling overall useless. Sokka, though just as useless, made himself feel valued by shouting encouragement at Aang and Katara.

The waterbender was gasping for breath after cutting through the first beam. "Just shut up, Sokka. This isn't working."

"Yah, I don't know how many of those I still have in me."

Zuko popped into existence again. He looked at the cut beam and the benders puffing tiredly, defeated.

"Look guys," Sokka started, "Everyone behind those walls are counting on us. We have to keep going, or figure out a new plan."

_Umm, this might not be the best time… but the drill's made it to the wall._

A moment later, the entire hull shuddered, as if agreeing with the testimony.

"Wait! I've got an idea!" Aang piped in.


	6. Guardian

Typical. Everything goes exactly as planned, then you find out one of the engineers are frozen to a wall, and someone managed to cut a line through a slab of steel, right under your nose. Well, at least it gave her something to do.

"Now where are they?" Azula lead them across the steel beam, one of the few that hadn't been sabotaged. Mai briefly wondered what good a few cuts through each brace could do. The drill didn't seem any less stable.

She scanned the platforms beneath her, sure she had heard a rush of movement. There. She heard an echo, feet beating metal, someone running.

Something caught her eye. A knife flew through the vapor, only grazing the Avatar's gaudy orange robes, impaling itself into the hallway. "There."

The three flipped into action, literally for Ty Lee. Azula lead them on the chase, dashing into the chamber their targets had filed into.

"You were right, Azula! It was the Avatar!" Ty Lee chirped. Oh course she was right.

The blue and orange clothes strung out in front of them. What poor color choice her enemies had. They were nearing a split in the hallway.

A voice, the Water Tribe with the boomerang, rang out. "Which way Zuko!?"

Mai wanted to stop in her tracks. All of a sudden the chase seemed to fade away. _Zuko? Why are they talking about him?_ But Mai had grown up with the mantra of 'don't show what you're feeling' and 'get over it', so she continued pursuit with barely a beat missing.

"Got it!" The boy shouted. Mai hadn't heard anyone answer his question.

When they made it to the split in the hall, the Water Tribe went one way and the Avatar went the other, neither said a word to each other and neither seemed lost for even a second.

"You two follow them! The Avatar is mine." If Azula had heard them mention her brother's name, she didn't show it. They split ways.

* * *

Aang breathed out incredulously. "We did it." Appa bellowed, launching himself into the air.

Sokka looked down at the remains of the drill; flecks of grey peeping out of the brown slurry that gushed out of every crevice it could find. He hoped the Fire Nation would decide to high tail it out of there and stop stepping on their toes. "We did good back there, gaang."

"We?!" The benders exclaimed.

"Hey, who came up with the awesome idea?"

"An idea that failed. Aang's the one who came up with the working plan." Katara scoffed.

"Well, here's a plan to top the old plan. Zuko's uncle said if we wanted the Earth Kingdom's help we had to convince the King that the war is happening and the Long Feng was lying. And he said we needed undeniable proof. Well, what's more undeniable than an enemy drill trying to break into the wall of the city?"

"Where are you going with this?"

"I mean that we go get the Earth King now!"

"Now?"

"Come on! We're on a roll here!"

"One narrow victory isn't a roll, Sokka!"

"I agree with Sokka. We need to talk to the Earth King as soon as possible. There's nothing stopping us from telling him about the conspiracy and the war."

"I'm with Twinkletoes and Snoozles. I didn't get to bust enough heads back there."

"Well… okay. But could we get cleaned up first, I'm covered in slurry."

"No way Sugar Queen. Who takes a shower before raiding a palace? Let's do this before you change your mind."

Aang turns to the side. "What's wrong Zuko?" Aang asked pensively "Do you think we should do this?"

_Huh? Go ahead. But I'll be pretty useless._

"Well, so is Sokka, but we keep him around." Toph threw out.

"Hey!"

"You're not useless Zuko. You either Sokka. I mean you warned us the drill was here, and you almost got us to hide before Azula saw us."

_Almost._

"We still made it out."

_Yah, okay. But I've got something on my mind right now. I think you can get to the Earth King without my help._

"You're not… going away right."

_Just for a while. You'll do fine without me, but good luck anyway._

Aang gave him a worried look.

_I'll be fine, you should worry about yourself._ Zuko met Aang's eyes. _Bye?_

"Yah, okay. Bye."

"See you around, ghosty. Or you know, not." Toph waved a hand over her non-seeing eyes.

"You shouldn't worry too much, Aang." Katara assured once Zuko had faded away.

"I know. But don't you guys just ever get scared he's just gonna disappear?"

"You're really still scared about that?" Toph asked cynically.

"Yah. He could leave us anytime he wants and it wouldn't make a difference to him."

"Exactly why you should trust him. Think about it; he could've left you at any time ever since you met him, but he stayed, _by choice_. You gotta have some trust in him, Twinkletoes."

Aang nodded.

"Either you're not gonna answer me, or you just nodded."

"Oh yeah, I agree with you. I just forgot you were, you know, blind. Sorry Toph."

"Don't sweat it. At least I'm not Zuko. Then people would forget I exist."

Katara and Sokka blushed. "That's not fair. It's just hard to remember someone's there when I can't see them."

"Oh yeah Snoozles. That's a great excuse." Toph waved her hand over her face again.

* * *

The mongoose lizards flailed around impatiently in the mud. Or _slurry._ Whatever you wanted to call it, Mai was not about to put her feet in it.

"Hurry up Mai. We have a quarry to catch and we've lost enough time as it is." The broken hunk of drill leaking out behind Azula was testimony to that.

"I'm not going into that." She gestured to sludge. She held out a hand to one of the lizards, tiredly. "Come here you little monster." It surprisingly obeyed. Maybe the creatures were smarter than she gave them credit for. Mai mounted.

Azula's steed bucked as she pulled back her reins. "Let's go. We need to find another way into this worthless city." She eyed her companions testily. "And I trust you two don't have any qualms about following me."

Ty Lee easily answered what likely was a rhetorical question. "Why would you even ask that? I'd follow you anywhere, Azula!"

And now that she answered, Mai'd have to answer too. "Of course not, Azula."

"Yes. As should be. Now let's move." They were off with a flick of the reins, headed away from the walls, towards a green edge.

There was finally time to think for a moment. Mai replayed the scene again.

_The Water Tribe boy's voice rang out, "Which way Zuko!?"_

Maybe he was talking to the Avatar. Or the girl. It was one explanation, but she was sure neither of their names were Zuko. There might have been another person there, someone she hadn't seen. That was plausible but the only merit it had was that no other believable alternative was available. She hadn't seen a fourth person, or heard him, which she should have.

There was always the chance she misheard him, but she doubted that as well. Azula questioning her and Ty Lee's loyalty was enough proof that Azula had heard him, too.

Azula had remembered the falling out they had, years ago. Mai had refused to go anywhere near the palace weeks after it happened. If she'd avoided it any longer people would have labeled her a 'traitor' as well.

_There's still another explanation._

_No, that's not possible. You're jumping to conclusions._

_It was him. You saw him that day, he's teamed up with the Avatar now._

_He's dead, you know that, you accepted that years ago. Why can't I just let it go?_

_He's come back, Mai._

_He can't be._

_He's back. He's going to stop the Firelord, because he's crazy. Azula needs to be stopped as well._

_No. He wouldn't do that. You wouldn't go against your nation._

_You have to save your nation. This is wrong, this war is hurting everyone._

_The Fire Nation needs to spread its glory with the world. It's their fault they're refusing._

_Stop repeating those lies. Listen to me Mai-_

She abruptly pulled away from her thoughts; half because she felt she'd gone crazy, like her mind had split in two and started arguing with itself about topics she could have been executed for questioning. And half because they had pulled into the forest, Azula espying at something behind a wall of greenery.

_You have to stop this. Don't listen to her._

No. It wasn't like her brain had split in half. More like a presence had seated itself in her mind. The forest seemed slightly less empty.

"Well would you look at this." A wry smile curled on Azula's lips.

_Don't listen to her._

"It seems the Kyoshi Warriors have entered the fray. They will make fine prisoners, don't you think?"

* * *

"I must say, you and your friends make quite an effective group." Iroh poured himself another cup of tea. "It's only been two days and you've managed to overthrow the government."

"Those dunderheads were a bunch of cowards! You should've seen the guy; acting all smooth and in control but I could feel him shaking like a leaf. Probably never thought he'd be called out."

"The good thing is that Long Feng's in jail and the Earth King is on our side." Katara said, taking a sip of her tea.

"Good? This is great! It's amazing! And the news about dad! We can finally see him again Katara! Things are finally looking up."

"I still can't believe my parents want to see me. I never thought they'd understand." Toph's voice was a peg softer than usually.

Iroh saw the Avatar smiling happily. It was late, he looked tired, but he seemed deeply content.

"Perhaps you should go home and rest soon. It has been a long day from what you've told me. Young men and woman need their rest."

"We should go home soon. We're leaving first thing tomorrow and I haven't even packed anything."

"Can't we stay a little longer, Katara? I'm still waiting for Zuko."

"I'm sure he's fine, Aang. I wanna go hit the hay." Sokka said, downing the last of his tea. "Eh- aah… hot!"

"Oh course. I would never serve tea cold!"

"Sokka's right Aang. We don't know how much longer he'll be; we don't even know why he went in the first place."

"Hmm… now why would my nephew need to leave your side?"

"I don't know. He just seemed really upset about something after we stopped the drill."

"Hmm. Well, you told me that Princess Azula and her friends were leading them, correct."

Aang nodded.

"Well, that is likely the reason."

The group looked at him strangely. Sokka voiced their thoughts. "Why would that have anything to do with it?"

It was Iroh's turn to raise an eyebrow. Could they not make the connection? No, Sokka had proved himself a competent, even talented, strategist, despite his oddities.

"Needless to say, my nephew has his reasons to detest the royal family." Iroh mentally scolded Zuko for keeping his companions in the dark. His nephew had learned many things in his short years but he still believed he needed to keep his burdens to himself.

A brief flash of confusion crossed the boy's face, and for a second Iroh wondered if Zuko had disclosed any information to his friends, but then it morphed into solemn understanding.

"Oh yeah, I guess that makes sense."

Aang still looked anxious. "He's not doing anything…bad is he?"

"Zuko? No, likely not. The most he can do is persuade, and though he has improved his skill, my nephew can do little more than prod a person to come to a certain decision."

He nodded. "So I guess we should go now." Aang stood and gave a bow, which Iroh returned. "Thank you mister Mushi."

"It has been a pleasure. Perhaps you can stop by when you have a minute to spare tomorrow."

"That reminds me; I should talk to the Earth King about you. Do you think it's a good idea to let him know you're a firebender, so you can start teaching me?"

"I don't see why not. Tell the King he is welcome to share a cup of tea with me at any time."

* * *

Toph hefted herself onto the saddle. Her face was nonchalant, as usual, but inside she felt quite different. Excited, anxious and somewhat happy.

"You guy's ready to go?"

"Hold on a moment, Aang. I just need to sharpen my boomerang a _little_ more. There. A weapon worthy of a true warrior."

Katara snorted but said nothing. She understood her brother's need to impress.

"Let's get this show on the road, Twinkletoes."

"Appa, yip- yip."

_Wait!_

Appa planted his legs back on Earth with a resounding _thump._ "Zuko? What is it?"

"Ugh. Couldn't you have said this when you showed up last night, ghosty? I don't wanna sit on this lump of fur any longer than I have to. No offense Appa."

_The letter you got from your mom Toph. It was a trick._

Toph's face fell.

_Your parents hired bounty hunters to bring you home. The letter was from them, they're baiting you. I'm sorry, Toph._

They hired bounty hunters. _What did I expect? I should never have thought that they'd ever see me as anything other than a glass puppet._

Toph scratched idly at her ear, a habit she had attained whenever a situation made her anxious or uncomfortable. "Well, what are we waiting for, let's go."

Toph could almost feel their eyes on her. "What? You think I'm gonna let those guys loose? Nu-uh, I'm gonna go teach those guys a lesson about what happens when you mess with the world's greatest earthbender."

Appa bellowed as he struck the earth with his tail. Toph spent the trip trying to be as lax and uncivilized as she could, attempting to fight back the disappointment in her chest.

* * *

Iroh wiped down the last table, meticulously. After being closed for two days, his patrons had enthusiastically returned to his shop, many wondering why he'd been closed.

" _I had some very special visitors," he'd said, "friends of my dear nephew."_

Some understood. Others thought the break was unnecessary, but respected his decision. For Iroh, it didn't matter. The visitors would always be cherished by him.

Not because of the fact that they were the Avatar and company, though it did help. No, it was more in the fact of how highly Zuko thought of them. He never outright spoke of it, but their friendship budded openly in front of him.

Iroh would find his nephew dragging on about how the Avatar was just a child, unprepared; but slowly, his reproachful tone turned into a crease of concern, of caring, and soon they turned into glad tidings of Aang's improvement.

When the Water Tribe siblings had fallen ill, Zuko had come to him in the dead of night, seeking a remedy. Iroh had come to know each of them by name, and a dozen other traits and obsessions. He felt like he'd met them long before they ever made it to the city.

Zuko lessened in his visits, until he came to him only strictly after the group had fallen asleep.

One night, he had returned laughing lightly. The smile on his nephew's face brought him more joy than anything he'd experienced in his years in Ba Sing Se. He had quietly thanked Sokka for managing to trap himself in a hole and giving him the opportunity to see Zuko smile.

He knew few people his nephew had ever been content besides, and few who cherished his nephew's friendship; and for that reason, Iroh treated them with a reverence greater than if he were in the presence of the Earth King.

The front door was thrown open and Iroh was not surprised to see Toph enter, smirking happily, the young Avatar at her tail. His nephew materialized inside soon after.

"Did you see the looks on their faces! You better, because I can't! They must have been priceless!"

Aang smiled nervously. "Sorry for crashing in here again. Toph's still a little excited…"

_But I have to agree: that beat-up was pretty impressive._

"You tell'em, deadbeat!"

"But did you really have to leave them inside the rock? They're going to be trapped in there for a while."

_Deadbeat?_

"So what, Twinkletoes? They were planning on putting me in a cage! And I'm a great earthbender, but even I can't metalbend."

Iroh chuckled. "Yet, Toph. You can't bend metal _yet._ "

"You got that right, uncle."

"How about I get you two a cup of tea? And then you can tell me all about your adventure. Don't spare any details; it sounds quite remarkable."

"Thank you, sir."

"Thanks, I can't get enough of your tea."

_I'd have one too if I could, uncle._

"I don't know how you stand it, nephew. I wouldn't last a day without tea."

_It's not too hard, I mean, all tea is, is hot leaf juice._

Iroh clutched a hand to his heart. "How could a member of my own family, say something so _horrible_."

The three chuckled. Iroh walked out to the kitchen, fetching a pot and filling it with water.

"Are you sure you're really related? I mean with all your grouching and angst, I don't really see the resemblance." Toph teased.

_Hey!_

Aang looked wistfully out the window. "I wonder what Katara's up to right now…"

"Sugar Queen's probably whining about all the dirty dishes or something. She always does it with us."

_Hmm… why are you so curious about Katara, Aang? And why did Sokka slip your mind, I mean he's away now too, right?_

Aang shook himself alert. Iroh laughed quietly; the poor boy had himself trapped.

"Yah, Aang? You don't, _like_ , her or anything, right?"

"What? Of-of course I don't!"

_So you don't like Katara? I thought we were all friends, Aang?_

"Of course she's my friend. I just, I don't like her, in that way…"

"So, you think of her as a sister?"

"No-no, I think of her as a friend. A really good friend."

_So you like her._

Aang reddened but didn't argue. The two laughed good-naturedly.

"You are way too obvious, Twinkletoes."

Iroh walked back to the table, tray in hand. The two of them thanked him earnestly, Aang still a little red. His nephew's eyes glinted with mischief.

Yes, Iroh would always treasure these guests.

* * *

When Zuko saw them, he was so jarred he faded into the Spirit World. Embarrassing.

He emerged back into the throne room, to get another look.

"We are so glad to have you here, Kyoshi Warriors," Earth King Kuei spoke happily from his throne, idly petting his bear. "A friend of the Avatar, is a friend of ours."

The lead warrior bowed low. "It is a pleasure to be here."

"You know, my kingdom has been in quite a bit turmoil lately. My closest advisor, a traitor!"

"It is a shame when you cannot trust the people closest to you."

"But it is all well now. The Avatar has set things right. And he's came up with quite a plan."

Zuko almost reacted too late, but he regained his bearings in the nick of time. He didn't have time for fancy words and well thought persuasion.

_Shut up. Shut up. Stop talking, you fool! You can't trust random people with that kind of information. What kind of king are you? Shut up._ He thought it as loudly and harshly into the King's head as possible.

An instant frown fell on his face. Spirits. The King couldn't hide emotions and spit out military secrets with everyone he met.

"Uh, you girls should go rest. Guards escort them to their rooms, please."

"We thank you for this audience, your majesty. Perhaps we can talk about your plans another time."

"Um, yes, certainly."

_Not on my watch, Azula._

* * *

The guards surrounding the court still seemed jittery. Well, it made sense, he guessed. It wasn't every day you had a firebender in the Earth palace courtyard. Teaching the Avatar.

"Concentrate Aang." Mushi told him. "Leave fire untended and it will either die out or destroy."

"I'm sorry. Let me try again."

He smiled gently. "Once more. Deep breathes, fire is from the breath."

Aang took a rather dramatic breath and called forth a fire on his palm. It was small and steady but Aang dared not make it larger, he knew how much damage it could cause.

"Well done. But perhaps you could make it larger?"

Aang made it the tiniest bit hotter. Mushi looked at it patiently.

"Zuko has told me that you do not care to learn fire."

"I know I need to learn it. But it's just so… wild. I'm afraid of hurting someone."

"Look at it, Aang." Mushi said, gesturing to the flame. "Fire is not just death and destruction. Only if the bender tells it to be, but all the elements are like that. Fire is beautiful, Aang."

He willed the fire in Aang's hand to grow. "It is energy. It is passion and life. Just like the Sun. And you must respect it's will to live, then you can control it."

Aang cradled the fire in his hands, letting it flicker.

_Aang! Uncle!_

He dropped his hands away from flames, causing it to flutter out.

Mushi sighed. "Couldn't you make your presence known, less loudly, nephew?"

_It's Azula! She's in the palace, she's disguised as a Kyoshi Warrior!_

"What!" Aang exclaimed. "We gotta tell the guards. We have to warn King Kuei!"

"Quiet, Aang." He said it in a casual volume, but his tone was urgent and demanding. "Where is she Zuko?" Though he was directing the question to Zuko, he kept his eyes steadily on Aang.

_They gave them guest rooms on the west wing. Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, they're all here._

This time his voice came in a whisper. "This is bad. Let's go tell the King"

"We will, but not in the open. We don't know who we can trust."

Aang turned towards Zuko to ask him a question but Mushi reprimanded him. "Don't turn towards him. The guards will wonder."

Aang didn't like all the secrets he was hiding from King Kuei. "Let's go warn him now then."

"That would be best. But we can't apprehend them immediately. They are fight enough on their own, but knowing Azula, she has likely made connections in the city."

_So we have to be prepared._

"Yes. We should go speak to him now though."

_I'll go see what Azula's up to._

* * *

"Preposterous! Princess of the Fire Nation? In my palace!"

"I wish it were so, your highness. But she is a dangerous enemy, we must prepare. Who can we trust to defend you?"

"I-I don't even know anymore."

"Perhaps the Council of Five? And your closest guards."

"Could you and the Avatar alert them?"

"Of course. But maybe Aang should stay here with you, we never know when they might strike."

"Yes, yes, that seems good. But when do _we_ strike."

"Soon. Hopefully before they do."

* * *

"And I expect complete obedience. If any of you have any regrets, I will not hesitate putting an end to you." Azula spoke coldly, pacing in front of the crowd of Dai Li. "You are dismissed." They dispersed, quickly.

"Nice job freaking them out Azula!" Ty Lee congratulated.

"Proper servants can only be useful with the right amount of fear distilled in them."

"They looked plenty scared to me!"

"And they will be useful in our plans."

"Princess." One of the broad hatted soldiers approached them. "The Avatar knows you are here. He and his firebending master are rallying warriors to capture you."

"Firebending master? The foolish traitor. Where is the Earth King?"

"In the throne room. The Avatar is guarding him."

"Perfect. We can kill two birds with one stone. You - gather the Dai Li. Mai, Ty Lee, this coup will take place faster than we thought."

* * *

_Aang she's coming._

"What?"

"Did you hear something, Avatar?"

"Oh, um nothing, sir."

_Azula is coming, Aang. And the rest of the Dai Li._

"You know King Kuei, maybe we should go out for some fresh air."

"But aren't I meant to stay here for safekeeping?"

"Trust me; it'll be safer out there."

_I'll go call the others._

"Let's go!"

"What?"

"Well, would you look at this?" Azula smirked casually. "So many high figures in one room. It must be my lucky day."

* * *

Mai stood off besides Azula. The Dai Li sprouted out of the hole in the ground they had entered from and swiftly went to work closing off any exits. The handful of guards in the room fell mercy to the earthbenders, and her knives.

_This is bad. This is really, really bad._ Despite Aang's poor grace under pressure, he readied himself in a bending stance and called out threateningly, "What do you want Azula!"

"What a foolish question. You know exactly what I want. The question is how easily you will give it to me."

Aang didn't grace her with an answer. He wished Zuko were here to shout out advice. Aang hadn't truly considered how helpful that had been; now he was stranded, the only thing he was sure of was that he could not fend off a firebender, a chi blocker, a knife thrower and a dozen of the Dai Li all by himself.

"Suit yourself. Ty Lee." The acrobat sprang towards them at her name, aiming to make quick work of her enemies. Aang managed to spring atop the throne but King Kuei fell, paralyzed, under her swift jabs. Bosco sniffed curiously at his fallen master.

"You've made a poor choice, Avatar."

"That's what you think." Aang airbended himself higher, blowing away his opponents.

A small group had formed itself on the other side of the doors. The guards were trying vainly to open the entrance, while the rest of them tried to stay calm. Iroh could distinctly hear the sound of battle from the inside.

"It won't budge! Someone's holding it up on the other side!" One of the generals protested.

"Keep trying! There is no other option!"

"Move over!" Toph was barreling towards them, with Zuko hovering by her side.

Iroh quickly sidestepped, knowing she was about to wreak havoc on the poor door. Toph took a steady form and with a strong brush of her hands, the earthen door fell like shattered glass.

"Come at me you meatheads!" Toph was first into the fray, followed by the guards. Iroh lumbered atop the fallen wall and made a headcount; the Dai Li outnumbered the guards, barely. The King was a pile or green robes by the throne, likely a victim of Ty Lee. And Aang…

Iroh chose his battle. Aang was quite an entity, but he doubted he could defeat Azula. Iroh hoped he still had it in him to face her.

He sent a stream of fire in between the two. Azula was taken by surprise, but leapt back in control, not a hair out of place. They sized each other up for a moment, Aang glad he could take a break from Azula's onslaught. She hadn't been holding back one bit, probably still peeved about the drill incident.

"Would you look at this? You know what? I'm not surprised at all; who would be more likely to betray his nation than my dear tea-loving uncle?"

"Uncle?" Aang asked, his breath coming steadier.

The shouting in Mai's head was getting louder, which was very distracting in the midst of battle.

Zuko hoped all the doubts he'd planted in Mai's head over the years would finally amount to something.

_Look at what you're doing! Look at the people in this city! You can't let Azula win, she'd have no mercy!_

Mai wanted to spit profanities at her head. She was at a loss on what to do. Keep fighting the earthbenders? Send a knife through Azula's back?

Mai chose neutral ground; she reeled into a corner, away from the battle.

_Mai listen to me: the Fire Nation is tearing this world apart. You know that! You know they'll kill anyone who gets in their way. You saw! Why won't you accept it?_

Azula laughed. "Why, you don't see the family resemblance? Have you not introduced me to your little student, uncle?"

"Azula, you are outmatched. Surrender peacefully."

"Oh well of course. A princess always surrenders with honor." She raised her hands above her head. "I know when I'm outmatched."

Iroh still stood ready, doubting this could be anything other than a bluff. Azula tapped her foot impatiently. The tiles in front of them trembled.

_Why don't you accept it? They killed Zuko. They murdered him and it wasn't fair and you know it wasn't. Why do I keep pretending it was right? Because they would have killed me for saying the Firelord was wrong. But now… what about now?_

"Mai! Ty Lee! Let's go!" The tiles split with a resounding _crack_ , throwing up dust and rock and Dai Li all around. Ty Lee leapt into the hole in a flash of pink.

"They're getting away!" Aang made a match with his new enemies.

Iroh sent a wave of flames toward them, forcing the Dai Li to defend. He added a concentrated blast towards Azula, who dispersed it and lashed out with tongues of blue flames.

" _Mai._ " Her voice was carefully gauged with emotion. It wasn't said as an order, as one might expect. No, it tilted more towards a question, veiled with fake surprise, like the voice you'd use to mock someone who had pointed out something blatantly obvious.

_Fight her Mai, don't let her control you. For me._

The thought of defecting from the Fire Nation seemed ridiculous, but she was convinced that staying with them would be a grievous mistake. She had always known which side she agreed with, now it was time to join them.

"I'm not coming with you, Azula."

She sent a wave of fiery blue towards Iroh, as they had been steadily approaching.

"Oh, how unexpected." Azula circled her hands in a deliberate arc. "It's not like I haven't expected your betrayal for years. You were useful while you lasted anyway, sadly Zuzu manages to poison most of what he touches, even from beyond the grave."

The blue sparks whipped out of her hands as raging veins of energy, arcing angrily. It was times like this, Zuko felt absolutely useless.

In a feat nobody in the room had seen before, Iroh caught the energy in his fingertips, before releasing it back towards its master.

When the haze cleared, the hole had closed, most of the Dai Li had vanished and Azula had disappeared as suddenly as the lightning from fingertips.

* * *

"After them!" A handful of earthbenders reopened the hole, then dived in to pursue.

"And arrest her." The same general called, gesturing to the Fire Nation noble.

"No! She's on our side now."

"We cannot trust her, Avatar. How do we know she's sincere?"

Aang quickly glanced besides him. "Trust me."

Mai didn't even feel the earthen handcuffs lock and unlock around her hands.

"Zuko?"

Iroh scanned around himself and didn't answer. Smoke still curled form his hands.

"Where is he!?" This time it came more strained. Mai had just turned her back on the Fire Nation and almost got killed by lightning for the answer to this one question.

A silence stretched horribly, even though the guards were shuffling loudly in the background.

"Prince Zuko died three years ago, Mai."

This should have crushed her. She had been holding hope against hope for another answer, but somewhere deep inside she knew it could never have been true. She had seen the body herself.

But something in Iroh's eyes told her he still had more to tell. Just not here.


	7. Phantom

Zuko follows them like an ethereal comet, shooting through the tunnels blindly. He tries to find her, _Azula_ , in a hazy rage, because she'd almost killed what was left of his family in one effortless blow of lightning.

But he can't because he's as blind as Toph on Appa when he's underground, beaming from one block of earth to another, each as dark as the next. He keeps searching, aimlessly, scanning the endless earth for any sign of life.

He stops and he's struck so strongly by a feeling it terrifies him.

And the feeling is nothing. He stops and everything is dark and silent, and somehow full but empty, oppressing yet faded, and he doesn't know what up or down is anymore. It was as if he had appeared amidst the night sky, except there were no stars to light the way, just a choking desolation.

Every way he turns is exactly the same and eventually he doesn't feel like he's moving at all. He can't see his hands, can't hear his thoughts and for once he feels ineffably _dead._

He is nothing in a land of nothingness and it scares him senseless. Something in his mind tells him to leave, tells him this isn't oblivion, only an illusion. This is earth and the sun is just above you.

But he can't seem to move so he fades to the Spirit World. And there he feels a little more real. He wanders the swamp for an immeasurable eternity. His image has become a more translucent blue and it blurs at the edges. The marsh feels alive, as it always has, but it has developed a malicious lining.

In the heart of the earth, his soul felt gravely, inhumanly, drawn to the void. The spirits were warning him. Try as he might, Zuko had to face reality. He was a fool for thinking defying death would have no consequence.

He did not belong with the living.

* * *

Iroh leads them to the teashop and it is a quiet trip. There's a storm waiting over their shoulders and everyone knows and Iroh has to be the one to face it. That is, unless his nephew decides to own up himself, but he is nowhere in sight.

Aang drags himself along, tiredly, confused. He doesn't know who Mai is and she doesn't seem like the kind of person who would enjoy him striking up a conversation.

Toph dawdles along as well, plainly feeling an extra set of feet. The newcomer's gait is lithe, and calculated; a warrior, but also evidently a person of high status.

Mai takes the time to compose herself. Her little breakdown was a onetime thing. She may have switched sides but she still had standards. And away from the heat of battle, she's beginning to question her choices.

They enter the shop and the sign on the door is flipped to ' _closed'_.

* * *

Aang flies, with only Appa for company. It is a quiet night as he soars to Chameleon Bay, to interchangeably, talk to, check up on, or pick up Sokka and Katara.

He tries not to blame him. Tries to not hold it against him.

But Zuko had heard him say that trust was a basis in any friendship enough times. Zuko had been keeping secrets from them and he hadn't even had the guts to face them himself.

He reaches the bay and the crescent moon has reached its zenith. It reflects on the water and the view of the Water Tribe fleet from above is breathtaking. Appa lands close to the camp, and the view is breathtaking in another way; warm, homey, with a clan-like feel that he had only briefly felt at the poles.

Sokka sees him first. "Aang!" He runs to him and grasps his arm in greeting. Sokka's face seems stronger, morphed by his brief reunion.

Katara spots him next. Her face breaks into a grin and she meets him with an embrace, which Aang gladly accepts. "What are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad or anything."

"Well, there's been some pretty big news. How's it been, are you guys doing alright?"

She rolled her eyes. "Everything's fine, Aang. What about this big news, though?"

"Did Toph destroy the palace? Did Zuko beat the Fire Nation by sheer persuasion alone? Did Appa eat Momo!?"

"What is that mound of fur next to camp!?" Hakoda made himself known, walking straight up to marvel at the sky bison. "Sokka? Katara?"

"Dad, come meet Aang!" Sokka calls him over.

Hakoda raises an eyebrow, putting the pieces together. "The Avatar?"

"That's me, mister Hakoda, sir!"

He smiles as he grasps Aang's hand in welcome. "Just Hakoda, really. What brings you here?"

"Well, Aang said he had some big news to share, but he seems to be avoiding it." Katara filled in.

"Anything that can't wait?"

Aang thought for a second. "No, not really."

"Did you have dinner yet?"

"Um… no, but I had some fruit on the way here."

"Then we can discuss it after we've had a bite to eat. We've got sea prunes tonight."

* * *

Aang tried to down his sea prunes, he really did, but they never were his type of food. So now he sat huddled near the fire, the others gone to sleep, munching on his late dinner of leftover berries. It was nice in its own way, but Aang never felt too comfortable when completely alone.

They'd never gotten to talk about his 'big news'. He guessed he'd tell them tomorrow. He was already stressing about it again; what would he tell them? How?

_I guess you could start from the beginning._

A phantasmal blue approaches him and for one disquieting moment, Aang doesn't know what it is. When Zuko is close enough to be recognized, the unease hasn't settled from his stomach. Zuko is dull and frayed in both image and spirit.

"Zuko." Aang's voice is slightly tinted with fear, which he'd tried to cover up by anger. Aang reminds himself that he shouldn't hold a grudge and continues with a milder tone. "Where have you been?"

_Away._

Zuko looks tired. Aang doesn't like it; the way he's drained, how he doesn't bother to move his mouth when he talks, how his thoughts are harder to catch and the wisps of cerulean mist that seem to fall off him as he moves. He looks unearthly and downright scary. He doesn't look like the spirit guide he once was, but more like the dead man he is.

Aang couldn't muster up any anger even if he tried. But he can't rally the energy to cheer him up either. So he joins in on the foul mood. "Mai seemed really blue when I last saw her."

Despite it, Zuko smiles a little, but it drops away just as quickly. _She's always like that._

Aang shrugged. "Still. Everyone seemed a little bit down after… after Iroh explained."

_I should have told you myself. I should have told you ages ago._

"That you're a prince? That-that you were killed because of something so stupid? You didn't have to keep it all to yourself."

_I didn't think it mattered. Prince or not it doesn't change anything._

"If it didn't matter so much why didn't you just tell us?"

Zuko doesn't answer and the fire dips a little to Aang's tone. Looking across to the shade in front of him, Aang has to agree; it doesn't matter if he's a prince or not. It just bothered him that Zuko hadn't thought they would care.

"Toph got pretty worked up." She had. After hearing Iroh's tale she's seemed to have been crashed by a train of old memories, of rumors and news and gossip. She'd seemed bitter at herself for nor connecting the dots earlier.

_Really?_

He nodded. "I haven't told Sokka and Katara yet but they'll be pretty surprised too."

_Maybe._

"Definitely."

_Sokka'll probably make a face._

"He'd forget that his mouth's open half way through the story."

The fire between them grows a little lively and Aang likes it. When he'd first realized that the fires around him had become tied to his emotions, he'd been terrified. He'd been afraid they would get out of control. Now he'd become attached to it; Aang wondered if Zuko used to be able to do this. He wondered if Zuko sometimes thought the fire was still listening to him.

The elements didn't seem to acknowledge the undead.

_You know, I once helped out the Southern fleet a few years ago._

"Really? How'd that happen? Did you make anyone jump overboard?"

_Nothing that dramatic. But I did help someone dodge a fireball in the arm…_

* * *

Sokka indeed makes a face. By the time Aang explains that a Fire Nation noble they once fought against is now on their side, he's unable to form a coherent sentence. Once they get to the part where Zuko's an enemy prince, Sokka's utterly flabbergasted.

"I can't leave you alone for three days, can I?"

Katara takes the information less dramatically, but is still quite perturbed by how much chaos had been accomplished. "It's pretty hard to believe…"

"But undoubtedly impressive." Hakoda takes it in stride. "So what now?"

"What now! Well I'm going to hitch a ride with Appa and see it for myself!"

"I guess I'll come with. It's been fun, but it'd be nice to be with you and Toph again. And Zuko. Where is he anyway?"

Aang shrugged. "I saw him last night, but he hasn't shown up since."

"Great. He's avoiding us. Whatever, I need to go get my stuff. Dad, you should come too. We could discuss battle plans with the Earth King."

Hakoda patted his son on the shoulder. "You've been doing all the planning, Sokka, you don't need me there. Besides, don't I need to pick up some people for the plan to work?"

Sokka looked a little crestfallen. "Oh yeah, the mechanist and Haru and stuff…"

"You're already a great strategist, and a great warrior. I know you can do this."

"You think I'm a great warrior?"

"I know you are. Now get going; this siege isn't going to plan itself."

They load themselves on Appa, with armfuls of Sokka's maps and battle plans. It was remarkable how much he'd been able to collect in a short number of days. They wave down at the tribe as Aang steers them away from earth.

* * *

Zuko forces himself to see them. He knows he's ignoring them, knows he's pushing them horribly far away. It started with the guilt, the anxiousness of having to face them, and he kept putting it off. And it didn't help that being in the mortal world just felt unexplainably _wrong_ these days.

The days stretched and so he knew he needed to force himself to see them, knows that he'll become addicted to the ignorance if he goes any longer. But it's still difficult to fade into the courtyard, especially when the thought 'you'll have to face it eventually' didn't apply in Zuko's existence anymore.

But the image of never seeing his uncle and friends again was worse than the idea of facing them.

Aang was training vigorously in the Earth Palace courtyard, Toph shouting encouraging insults at him.

"You've gotten better, but you're still a limp noodle, Twinkletoes!" With that she sent a boulder double her size, flying towards him.

Aang made a slight whimper when he saw it, but defended effectively. He'd never get used to Toph's teaching methods.

"Was that whimper? Twenty more reps, Twinkletoes, we need to man you up!" Aang groaned. "Make it fifty! Come on let's go!"

At that point, Aang saw him and tried for an instant get away card. "Zuko! It's Zuko, hey over here!" Aang waves at him dramatically, as if he hadn't seen them yet. His face shouts _help me._

"There you are, deadbeat. You're just in time to see Twinkletoes over there get beaten up. Courtesy of yours truly." With that she sends a wave of stone crashing towards the airbender.

Zuko raises his eyebrows in shock, not at Toph's brashness, of course, he's gotten used to that. He was surprised that neither of them had pressed him about anything. He was prepared to be prodded by an onslaught of questions and accusations but they seemed almost… indifferent to his presence.

First, he was a little anxious that maybe they didn't care about him as much as he thought. But then he decided being a little overlooked was better than the alternative.

Toph continues pelting Aang with rocks. She stops for a moment and Aang keels over and breathes in precious air. "How many reps was that?"

"Fifty! That was all fifty!"

_I think it was more like forty, maybe forty five._

"I trust ghosty over there!" She lobs ten more boulders at him in quick succession.

Zuko laughs but his mind catches onto Toph's words fondly. She trusted him somewhat. It was most likely that she said that only as an excuse to make Aang suffer, but it still made him feel a little more assured, his non-existent body feeling pleasantly warm.

Loud, echoing footsteps bang against the stone tiles surrounding the earthen courtyard. Sokka races towards them, a scroll raised well above his head. Softer feet trail behind him, Katara, not fueled by the same enthusiasm as her brother, walks patiently in their direction.

"Aang, Toph look what I've got!"

Aang's lying spread eagled on the ground, defeated, with several pound of rubble around him. He lolls his head to face Sokka but doesn't make an attempt to stand up. Instead, Sokka deciphers the situation and kneels beside his friend, brushes away the debris and sprawls the scroll next to his face.

"Battle plans!" Sokka happily declares. Toph sits herself down beside them and Zuko floats over.

"What's the paper, Snoozles?"

"Can't you tell! It's-"

"No, I can't." She interjects with a knock on his head.

"Ow! What was that for - oh."

Katara finally makes it to them. "How are you already beating each other up?"

"Because your brother is an idiot."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"Hey! Can we stop making fun of me and talk about this!" He gestures to his scroll, which seemed to be an intricate map.

"Go right ahead."

"Okay, so hear this. Two months from now is the eclipse right? We're going to launch off from here." Sokka taps at a spot on the Earth Kingdom coast. "That's General Fong's base. Ok, a head count; we've got us, the Southern Water Tribe fleet, and a big chunk of the Earth Kingdom navy."

"We're also trying to contact the swampbenders." Katara adds.

"And some of our old friends, you know like Haru and those earthbender prisoners and the mechanist. We set sail, get to the harbor and from there, we've got everything timed."

_Wait. How do we get to the harbor? How about the Gates of Azulon?_

"What's that, Zuko?"

Sokka and Katara glance his way, but don't say anything. He realizes they never knew he was there. They don't seem intent on questioning him either.

_Uh… they're big gates that block the harbor._

Aang seems unimpressed.

_Like really big. With dragons. And they can be set on fire._ Zuko doesn't know how to paint the picture to seem as imposing as it is, especially since he'd never seen the gates lit.

_Anyway, how are we getting past them?_

"With this!" Sokka shows off a crudely drawn ink diagram.

"What is it?" Toph asks.

"It looks kinda like a whale with people in its stomach…"

"I told you it looks like a whale."

"Ugh! This is in fact, our ticket to the Fire Nation. I need the mechanist's help, but these things are called submarines. They're powered by waterbending, and they can get us under those gates."

Zuko eyes the sketch skeptically. _Looks like you're gonna need a lot of help from the mechanist._

Sokka stuffs the sheet back into his pocket and huffs. "You benders never have any appreciation for talent."

They give half-hearted retorts and Sokka swings right back into his strategy, and Zuko has to admire the ingenuity. It's evident that he isn't planning to win by sheer power, but by surprises and tactics and newly conceived contraptions. Zuko interjects once, to give details of the Royal Plaza, which Sokka earnestly notes. By the end of it, Zuko's convinced they could execute the plan with even a small taskforce.

They chatter idly, and Katara asks Aang if he wants to train, saying the rising moon should help, and Aang agrees with gusto.

Zuko backs away and watches them. It's a calm night, they're all together and for a moment, danger isn't hanging over their heads, but he can't settle his restlessness.

He senses Toph and Sokka laying on the dirt, he feels Aang and Katara battling besides them, but it's different for a moment. For a second, he can see Mai and Iroh at the teashop, the Earth King on his throne, Azula at the palace and every street in between. For a moment he isn't there, he's everywhere and nowhere.

When his existence converges into a singular form again, he knows he doesn't belong. Zuko fades back to the swamp because his soul feels scattered and he can't stand to stay any longer.

* * *

Iroh hands her a cup of tea and tells her he's here. Mai considers blocking out the thoughts out of stubbornness because that moron has been ignoring them for days now. But she decides to let him speak, because, even though she'd never admit it, she'd missed the idiot. Hearing that he was somehow still here, and she could talk to him, the first thing Mai's heart did was flutter. She covered it up easily with a surge of anger, of course.

A few days ago, the Avatar had told them he was worried. Scared Zuko wouldn't come back because he didn't want to be questioned. Honestly, when he said that, Mai's heart leaped a bit. She didn't know anything about this spirit business; she never thought Zuko running out on them was a legitimate worry.

He proposed that when he shows up, he trusted he would show up eventually, they try not to burden him with questions. He asked for them to try and understand why Zuko might have been hesitant to tell them. They had agreed. Mai hadn't said anything.

It was interesting, these people. They were friends of Zuko, and that was weird enough. She'd barely ever heard anyone speak anything good about him, and it gave her a slight rush of pride when they did.

Finally, people who thought Zuko was a martyr, not some infectious disease that needed to be burned out of existence. Violently.

Of course, Mai wasn't going to abide by the monk's advice. Zuko had a lot of explaining to do and she was not about to beat around the bush.

She sips at her tea and waits. She doesn't know if Zuko's in the room or not and she was not about to make a fool of herself. Zuko would have to make the first move.

_Mai…I-I'm sorry._

Was that him? Probably. She'd expected to hear Zuko's voice in her head, but it wasn't like that. It wasn't even words really, just feelings that somehow she could understand.

Mai keeps her eyes on the table when she answers. "What for?"

She feels a pang of fear, but she suspects that it's just Zuko. _For-for almost getting you killed! I never thought Azula would…_

"You know exactly what Azula's like. What else?"

_I-I don't know! For dying! For leaving you! For trying to convince you! Everything!_

Zuko expects her to reply with a dangerously veiled answer, which he won't have the skill to understand.

"Why did you even do that?"

… _Why did I fight him?_

"No. Why did you try to trick me."

_I wasn't trying to trick you. I was trying to make you understand, I didn't want you with them._

"You took advantage of me, Zuko. You've been whispering in my ear for years now haven't you? I thought I was going crazy Zuko! I don't how much of my life you've been ruling! I can't even trust myself now!"

_Mai… I never meant it to be like that. I-I thought I was just helping you…_

He was getting better at persuading people, but now he realized his skill in reading people was dangerously low.

"Why didn't you just tell me you were there instead of making me argue with myself all that time!"

_I couldn't! I couldn't! I never thought it was like that, Mai!_

"Why did you let _them_ know but not me!" She despised being kept in the dark, she hated when Iroh had to explain to her what the others had known for months.

_Aang could see me!_

" _I_ saw you that day! You could've told me, but you ran away!"

Zuko remembered that day with clarity. He hadn't known it was the solstice.

_I-I-_

_I could of_ , is what he thinks about saying, but doesn't.

_It was too dangerous! You were in the Fire Nation!_

Mai knows that's a lie. "Was it any more dangerous than that fight with Azula? And why did you waste your time with me; you could've tried to convince Ozai himself."

_I tried. Trust me, I've tried, Mai._

"Then how about Azula? Or Ty Lee? Spirits Zuko, you left Ty Lee alone with Azula."

_I did try…_ Not as much as with Mai, though.

"You didn't try hard enough."

_Mai, I'm sorry! I should have just told you I was here a long time ago. I shouldn't have tried to trick you, and-and I'm sorry, Mai!_

There, the moron decided to stop being so proud.

_I just wanted to help. I care about you, Mai, and I didn't deal with it the way I should have…_

"Because dead or not, you're still an idiot. I missed you, Zuko."

_You did? I thought you hated me._

"I hate a lot of things, Zuko. But not you."

_I don't hate you, too._

It was the closest thing to intimate they were going to get. She lets the anger go, instead of burying it as deep as she can. She finds that it works better.

In the end, Mai was never too angry at him for trying to persuade her, or almost getting her killed. It was just that the idiot made her miss him three years more than she had to.

* * *

"Sifu Iroh. You've never explained to me why we need to keep Zuko being here a secret."

Iroh walks up to his student and finds no fault in his stance, other than a slightly lowered elbow.

"Focus, Aang. Your stance must be powerful, but ready to move at any moment."

Aang loosens up a bit, but does little to fix his focus. "So… why?"

Aang tended to get off topic during teaching, but Iroh never had a strict hand in training. It slowed their progress considerably, but Iroh, too, didn't mind taking breaks mid-battle, anyway. It was a weakness they shared.

"These are desperate times, Aang. The less people that know about Zuko's… circumstance, the better."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that some people would be willing to do what they need to win this war, even disrespect the rites of the dead."

"So… you think people would try to make… more ghosts."

Iroh nods. "The advantages would easily charm those in dire situations. It wouldn't bode well, a healthy respect for death is essential to the world."

"It would bring unbalance. I think I understand."

"Yes, and as Avatar, it is your duty to maintain balance in every aspect."

"But… doesn't that mean that Zuko's bringing unbalance, by staying here?"

"I don't like to think about that, Aang. He says he must stay, to fulfill a purpose, but whether it is to the spirits' will, I don't know."

"But… what if it isn't?"

Iroh sighs heavily. "I don't know, Aang. It's been three years and the spirits have not intervened, I can only assume what that means."

"Alright, okay what are you going to teach me next?" Aang's a little too quick at changing the subject, but it had started to make him distressed. Aang doesn't want to think of Zuko as some sort of escaped convict, and himself as the warden responsible for his capture.

"This next form is one of my own creations. It's based off of waterbending, so you shouldn't have much trouble with it."

Aang copies Iroh's movements. "I never knew you could do that."

"What? Mix two forms of bending? The elements are not as separate as you think; they all balance and support each other."

"What's this move called?"

"I've decided to call it 'lightning redirection'. Not as poetic as 'The Dancing Dragon' maybe, but I think it gets the point across."

* * *

It's barely a month left before they launch. It feels too fast sometimes, it feels like he'd been watching the Avatar penguin sledding just yesterday.

He remembers the day he saw the pillar of light cascading in the sky, like a massive flare. He felt it more than saw it, and his form seemed to disintegrate, scattering in the wind as a wave of power washed over him. Then his mind started pumping; _this is it, this is what I've been waiting for._ He had imagined the dawn of his mission, saw it as bright as the midnight sun. He'd never imagined this, all these people who he's helped and gathered and somehow became friends with.

He'd never imagined the ending.

They talk to him less now. It's not their fault though. Hakoda had returned, and he'd picked up everyone he needed to: earthbenders, the mechanist, Teo, Haru, swampbenders even a few Earth Rumble fighters. And now they all circled around the palace, and they can't acknowledge his presence without blowing their cover.

The plantbending Hue can see him, strangely. He talks to him sometimes, but most people think he's crazy anyway, so Zuko doesn't worry too much.

Uncle invites White Lotus members. He presents them in the guise of _old friends_ , and no one questions him about it. They're happy to see Jeong Jeong and Pakku, and Piandao takes Sokka as a student. He's formal and grateful about it in front of him, but he fangirls about it at night. Zuko suspects that Bumi's still holding up in Omashu.

There are days that seem to stretch, where yesterday and tomorrow are meaningless words and this day is all that has ever existed. And other's that seem to end in the blink of the eye. Zuko suspects he's losing value for time, because for him there's no need to separate moments; it's all just one long, tedious road. He hates it.

There are times where no one speaks a word to him and he wanders aimlessly. He can feel himself dehumanizing, he's losing sense of time, of barriers, of permanence, of direction.

So he keeps wandering, passing people who'll never see him, who'll never raise a hand in greeting for him. He's useless, and eventually he'll give up and fade into the abyss that has been calling him for weeks now.

He's only a breath away from becoming nothing, but a little smile from Aang, a question from Mai, a reminiscent exchange between them, and he pulls back. Gathers himself up for one final blow, because he has to see this to the end. Needs to see his father fall from his throne.

So he smiles and speaks as animatedly as he can and tries whatever he needs to do to feel _alive_. He prays for the spirits to grant him mercy.

He's willing to take whatever justice they see fit. But not yet. A month. It's all he needs.


	8. Wraith

He's the only other person at the table, and Azula giddiness can't help but falter a bit. Father is always imposing, constantly wafting an air of command and it there is no difference whether he sits on his throne, or at the dinner table.

It's a large table, with five finely crafted chairs on each side, and one at the head and tail, totaling in ten. It could fit the entire royal family with seats to spare, but tonight only two people dine.

Father sits at the head, and she sits to the right, where mother once sat. He welcomes her to the table, and that is a comfort to her, and speaks no ill words about the day's events. But Azula faces the seat in front of her and it is empty. The seat beside that, her uncle's seat, is also unoccupied. She wonders if last night had been the last time the two seats would ever be in use.

They make idle talk, about her training, about current affairs, about how dry the komodo rhino sausage is and how the chef's dismissal would soon come to pass; and Azula soaks it all up, because this is all she's ever wanted, the praise, the recognition.

She smiles, wondering what father would do to Zuko now. Disown him? Banishment? Incarceration? They'd always known how much of a plague he had been to their family, and now that he'd slipped, the entire nation would realize it too.

 _Crown Princess Azula._ She basked in the thought. _And one day, Firelord Azula._

A red plated guard, struts into their light, his stride is anxious and his hands are clenched, and he throws himself into a bow, kissing the ground with his forehead.

Father doesn't speak a word, only chews on his food a beat slower.

The guard eventually rises, only to his knees with hands still spread on the floor.

"Speak." The guard prostrated once more.

"The prince has succumbed from his injuries, my Lord. The body has been moved to the infirmary, the attendants are awaiting your orders."

Azula stares at her food, and Ozai takes another bite before answering.

"Dispose of it. We have no need for that filth. And have the scribes start on the missives, let the people know of their new heir." He nods at her, and Azula tucks her feet behind her chair and wrings her hands under the table because frost is slowly inching in her fingers.

"Make sure they know what happens to anyone who dares oppose the Firelord."

The man bows and leaves as hurriedly as he came. Moments after, she asks to be excused.

Father glares her, and Azula knows the look in his eyes. It's disapproval, and it fills her with raging dread because that's the look he gives Zuko, not her, never her.

He returns to his meal and answers, with a voice dripping with ice.

"There is no room for weakness in this family, Azula. You may go." She leaves briskly, feeling his eyes bore into her back as she exits. When she's out of his sight, she breaks into a run.

* * *

"I'm not ready, Zuko. I'm not ready! Even if I train every moment until the eclipse, I can't beat him!"

_Yes, you can Aang. But you can't do it if you don't sleep!_

The boy was anxious and sleep deprived and Zuko had no idea how to get him to listen.

Aang continued pummeling the tree he had chosen as his enemy.

Zuko stands in front of him, making Aang have to throw his hands through his abdomen if he wanted to reach the poor plant.

_Get a grip._

"I _need_ to train."

_You know what Aang? You're not ready. None of you are. None of you alone could stand a chance against Ozai, none of you would last a minute._

He blinks tiredly at him, and shivers a little because Zuko is affirming all his worries.

_But you're not alone, Aang. You have Katara and Toph and Sokka and the entire Earth Kingdom backing you up. You need them to win this. But you need to trust yourself first, before any of them can do anything to help._

Aang's still shivering, from the crisp night air and from the fear that had been racking up inside him. He gathers himself in his robes to fend the cold, and Zuko is struck by how childlike he seems, like a kid knocking on his parents' door after a nightmare. Zuko wishes he could do more, shake his shoulders, grab a blanket, wrap him in an embrace, but he can't.

_Go to bed, Aang._

He listens and quietly shuffles back to his chambers.

* * *

_You're a monster, Azula_

She's eyeing herself in the mirror, brush wavering in her hair.

_Do you even care? It's like you don't even notice he's gone, that he's dead, that he was murdered._

She continues brushing, but slower, and she doesn't dare look at herself in the mirror.

_How could you, Azula?_

_Filth. He was less than the ground under your feet. He doesn't deserve pity, a crushed weed deserves no mourning._

It's a mantra, an indisputable verse she has accepted, because with this wisdom she can face anything.

_They think you're a monster, too. Ty Lee and Mai and mother, they wouldn't want to take a step near you._

_The words of the weak hold no virtue._

_Father is horrible, he's a menace, a murderer and you're a fool for following him._

_I am no fool._

She grips the brush tighter, but streaks through her hair gently, calmly.

_Everything you're doing is wrong, it's evil. Father is evil. You are evil._

_That word has no meaning. I am spreading our glory with the world, and people shouldn't get in our way._

_You're a monster, Azula._

She closes her eyes and grips the brush and almost hurls it into the glass because she wants so badly to deny it. She wants father to be right, wants Zuko to be the vermin she tries to make him out to be, wants the Fire Nation to be as glorious as the history books say. They aren't, but she repeats it enough times and it becomes the truth.

She meets the eyes in the mirror, gold, cold and crazed, and she lays the brush back down. She is a monster, blood and bone, but that's not a bad thing, not at all. She smiles at herself because she is a perfect demon; she's strong and commanding and cunning and that is all she needs.

Azula is eleven and her brother is dead and she's lied to everyone she knows. Even to the monster in the mirror.

Zuko watches his sister with nothing but loathing, and exacts his petty revenge whenever he can because everything has been taken away from him and she doesn't even care.

Azula fights away the demons in her mind but she breaks a little more every time.

* * *

The nobles congratulate him, shower him with praise for ridding their fold of weakness. It amuses him, how they bend to his will so easily, how utterly predictable they are. The fear in their eyes is oh so rewarding.

He doubts that everyone is as approving as it seems and has extra guards assigned patrol.

He notices the confusion in Azula's eyes, and it worries him in the slightest. Azula is strong and will grow stronger, she must succeed where her brother failed. She is the only one in this family that had any hope, and Ozai trusts that she will understand the need for sacrifice.

The days of uncertainty are over, once Azula finds her way, the Fire Nation will have a sufficient heir.

_But do you regret it?_

Ozai looks up from his papers. The throne room is desolate, the fire is the only thing else alive.

_Do I regret it? Not in the slightest. He could never serve his nation._

Ozai stares back down on his papers, sadly.

_He was an unfixable taint of a prince. If only the spirits had given me a proper son, there would never have been an issue._

He remembers the screams echoing, the fire forcing itself from his fingers. He feels no joy nor any sadness about the moment, just heavy weariness. The throne came first, the path to his nation's vision is arduous and requires sacrifice.

_I have only done what had to be done._

* * *

_They're here, Ozai._

The voice jars him, it's mocking and sickeningly happy, and the Firelord whips his head covertly, trying to find its source. This isn't the first time and it won't be the last, no matter how much he hopes.

His stomach drops when the doors are whipped open. It is his guards, out of breath, throwing themselves before him and Ozai tries to regain his fractured confidence. The voice laughs.

They start their report before his order to rise. The Avatar, the Earth Kingdom, are approaching the shore, with underwater ships of steel.

_What did I tell you? Did you think I was lying all these years?_

Ozai fixes his eyes on nothing and he can't think, not until Azula is in front of him, on her knees, and anger fuels his words.

She begs for mercy, he reminds her of the failure at Ba Sing Se and she beseeches him over and over. He orders his heir to prove herself and she leaves briskly, to the battlefield.

He orders a lockdown of the city. The palace dignitaries are to be herded into the underground bunkers.

The wraith dogs him all the way down, and he can't stop wondering whether he'd laid his cards wrong all these years. He must have, because every future he imagines from this point, he never has the winning hand.

It's laughing, and Ozai laughs too, because he's lost and he might as well pretend he has the upper hand. The voice stops, and he marks it as a victory.

* * *

Iroh heads to the shore, thinking of petty things: why it isn't raining and whether Ozai would have his portraits down by tomorrow night.

It is almost a certainty; Zuko's had been covered within hours and not a trace of sweet Ursa was evident by the time he came back from his siege. How bare the palace walls will be.

He covers his head with the hood, and wonders why it isn't raining. He can't think of a more suitable weather for such a tragedy, and a light drizzle would make his cloaked outfit less suspicions. They say April showers bring May flowers, but it is nearly impossible for him to envision what could bloom after such a calamitous downpour.

Could the spirits not have mercy on an old man's heart? He has to stop on his trail, to collapse, because all sense in the world has vanished. Nothing about this was fair or sensible or plain _right_.

What were the spirits planning? Zuko had his destiny set, he was to be the savior of his nation, the greatest of the Firelords, and Iroh was meant to guide him. Trials and adversity, he knew the boy would have to face, but Iroh knew he would rise after each one.

That's why he'd walked, why he waited until the crowd had dispersed before tottering to Zuko's side. He'd held his hand as he shivered and writhed, as the healers came to his side. His heart had filled with such sadness, imagining the pain he was feeling, the pain he'd have to face.

Young Mai had found him like that, she was panting, having likely run all the way to the palace, and crouched down beside him. She looked down at Zuko with more emotion than Iroh had ever seen before. Iroh tried to calm her, gave her a gentle smile, but she could only watch the healers work in absolute horror.

He only realized how dire the situation was when the medics slowed their work, the frantic flying of their hands ending after sharing a mourning meeting of eyes.

Mai had noticed as well and he can hazily remember her shaking him, looking at him for guidance as desperate tears sprang in her eyes. Iroh hadn't heard, only gripped the boy's hand tighter, until the color drained from both of them.

He'd never doubted the obstacles Zuko would have to face, but he always believed the boy would only grow stronger because of them.

But he was wrong, and fate was not as straight a path as he'd hoped. Iroh could never protect his sons, and now the world would pay the price.

He stands once more, hoping to put as much distance between that wretched palace and him. A second longer and he might torch the bloodstained walls to the ground and no matter how much he loathes the spirits at the moment, he knows that is not his fate.

Iroh leaves on the first ship to the colonies and hopes the world can settle itself without him.

* * *

Azula is a wave of fury and madness and ruin and their ranks shudder at the raw power. The Dai Li shadow her, and the two waves crest with a clash of earth and a hiss of fire. The battle is long and bitter, and Zuko can see wisps of blue curl through piles of rubble, from blackened bodies and he can't help but think that this is wrong, all of it undeniable wicked.

It was never meant to end this way; he wasn't meant to drag so many to their graves. But it's too late, there is a scent of smoke and an aura of pain in the air, and Azula is on her knees, encased in a prison of ice and stone. The army shoulders its way forward, and his sister is left with only a pair of guards.

She's spewing fire, painting the sky with the angry glow, inconsolable tears shedding from desperate golden eyes. Golden eyes that turn to him as she screams to the deaf heavens.

He whispers an apology before he leaves, and she wails louder still.

* * *

He hasn't visited her enough, he knows this, because Azula is talking to the mirror and he has no idea how it had lead up to this.

She's shouting, her eyes are too wide, speech too unguarded. She's talking to mother, great spirits, she thinks she's here, she's imagining her.

_Azula…_

She hurls a brush at the mirror, and it shatters. She whips her head around, wild, breathless, and Zuko wonders whether her mind is in a state similar to the mirror.

Azula stares right at him, but somehow her gaze is hopelessly far away. Her hands ball into white fists at her side.

"Why are you here, _Zuko_." She spits his name out like poison.

 _Are-are you alright, Azula?_ He'd never imagined the day he would need to worry about Azula. She was indomitable, unshakable.

"You're just like mother. Pretending like you care."

_Mother's not here, Azula._

She laughs and it scares him, because it isn't belittling as it should be, it's broken and oddly sharp, like the glass that carpets the floor.

"And you're _dead_ aren't you, Zuzu? But it doesn't matter. You and mother are out to get me, and I won't have it! I've _won,_ Zuzu, no matter what you say!"

_Stop it, Azula, you're hurting yourself._

"Like you'd care! You _hate_ me, you say I'm a monster and I am, I know, I know. You can shun me, Zuzu, but it doesn't matter because I know I'm a monster, and I've won."

_Please, stop it, what happened to you?_

"There is nothing wrong with me!" There are tears sprouting in her eyes. "Father is proud of me! He killed you! You were weak, pathetic, you were the one who was wrong!"

Zuko takes a step closer, trying to piece together what his sister had become.

"You can't tell me otherwise! Go. Just leave, Zuko. I've won. I've won, you won't take that away from me."

She turns away, seats herself in front of a broken mirror and brushes at her hair like nothing has happened. Zuko watches his little sister's back, something inside him feels crudely bent and he can't stop shaking.

Azula has gone mad and he'd done nothing to stop it; no, he'd only sped it up.

_What went wrong, Azula?_

She laughs. "Where should I start, brother?"

* * *

There are voices in his head. He thinks he's going insane, that the years of work and sacrifice have finally caught up to him. He was talking to himself, no, scorning himself! The great Firelord was at the mercy of ridicule, and it was from his own mind.

Anyone else, he could have had hung from the battlements with a snap of his fingers. But this? It was ludicrous, and overall, detrimental to his sanity.

The voice, it would tell him how wretched of a person he was, it would question his _strength._ He has no doubt of his strength, but some loose valve in his brain is constantly aiming to break him apart from within. But Ozai won't have it. He is the very essence of strength.

His methodic approach to everything he faces, cracks, as he attempts to battle the demons in his mind, and he is still callous but he is brash, and quick to enter risk. He has to decide quickly, before the damned screw loosens and the rush of disdain unsteadies him.

Ozai is proud, and he will not fall by his own undoing.

...

" _There are citizens in there!"_

" _We can't risk them."_

" _But we're so close! 100 years of war have lead up to this and you want to back down!"_

" _We are not backing down."_

" _Then what?"_

" _Keep the battle here. Aang; take who you need and finish this."_

...

He is not insane, but the revolting ghoul that follows him wishes he was, and hopes a thousand other curses fall upon him. It should despair in that aspiration, though; Ozai will not fall to such a lowly coward, so low that it would only dare insult him after death!

He would spit on the spirit's grave if he knew where it was.

Yes, a ghost, a phantom some sort of meddlesome spirit was all it was. He knew his own mind could not have been so faulty as to despise itself, constantly. It was an outward presence. It is devilish and impertinent and Ozai would like nothing more than have the sages cleanse the palace of the horrid stain.

But he speaks no word of it, because, spirits forbid, if the more _impressionable_ of his subjects were to find out. They would think this was some sort of sign; that a higher being was in disagreement with the Firelord. He hopes to purge away the last of these _primitive_ beliefs one day, but he is wise enough to know that many of his nation still hold fast to them.

He will wait.

The wraith is many things, and it is also omniscient.

_The Avatar has returned, Ozai._

_Your siege has failed._

_Your little princess is running away from battle._

_They're here, Ozai._

Perhaps he can one day use the demon's foresight to his advantage. But he doubts he'll ever have the chance. Ozai is escorted down endless steps, being swallowed into the dark earth, away from a battle at his doorstep and he wonders if he'll ever see the sun again as a free man.

There have been enough warnings. Today, they come to fruition.

...

_Underground, they're underground._

" _Why didn't you tell us earlier!?"_

_I was busy!_

" _It's almost the eclipse!"_

" _Stop it! Everyone in counting on us, we have to keep moving."_

_..._

He throws out orders in every direction and his voice echoes around the fire lit tunnels. He think he might be able to do this well, without another voice as unwelcomed company, but that is short-lived.

 _Keep talking, I'll let all of them up there know_ exactly, _what you're up to._

Ozai shuts his mouth. The guards awaiting order can only doddle after him nervously, not daring enough to say a word. They walk briskly, through streams of lava and bolted doors, with only the rasp of flowing robes and the din of plated armoras music. Ozai decides that the presence has left, and one of the guards give a feeble "Sir?"

He tells them to man the war balloons and bombard the enemy's ships, give them no chance to back out.

_Great choice, Firelord._

The guard leaves with a quick bow, running to make up for lost time.

_But we never planned on retreating, not once did we discuss escape plans._

The Firelord growls, and the sentinels become uneasy.

_You know what they say: where there is no escape, there is no fear, and the solider who faces death will fight to their last drop of strength. You gain nothing, Ozai._

_..._

" _Where is the Firelord!"_

" _The Fire Lord's chamber is that way, down the hall, to the left and up the stairs, you can't miss it!"_

" _Thank you!"_

" _Hurry up! We only have minutes left!"_

_..._

He sits on his makeshift pedestal, trying to look as dignified and in-control as they need him to be. But there are traces of his incompetence all around him. A legion of enemies and the _Avatar_ himself have managed to enter his kingdom, throw it into chaos and he has had to resort to hiding away in a bunker that hasn't been used since its creation.

His victory is crumbling. What had he done wrong? He had worked tirelessly to whip his officials into shape, to guide the nation with a firm hand and spread his glory, as his ancestors had wanted. He had sacrificed, his time, his patience, his _family._

He was distracted. That was the only reasonable explanation. With the Avatar at the back of his mind, and Azula's defeat at Ba Sing Se and the failed Northern Siege and the loathsome demon that wanted him gone.

What did it want from him? What had he done to offend the spirit? They had never meddled with him, or any of his predecessors, before. Why now?

_You've done horrible things._

_I am realizing my forefather's vision. A world of power, with the Fire Nation as the centerpiece._

_You've brought this onto yourself._

_You are a coward, a wretched fool who would never have been bold enough to meet my eyes if you had a shred of honor left to uphold._

Dishonorable. All of them. How sickening it was that the Avatar had recruited the undead to his side. Even he gave the deceased a sliver of dignity to keep. The desperate would do _anything_ for victory.

Disgusting.

_..._

_He's lying. Follow me._

_..._

There are thousands of layers of dirt all around him, and a rank of guards between him and the only entrance, and Ozai still feels undefended.

His thoughts wander aboveground, whether Azula has been victorious. If she has not, then Ozai has deeply misjudged her competence, she is still weak and he will not stand for it. If she has won, then perhaps he can see past the incident at Ba Sing Se.

Recently though, he has noticed a change in her eyes. They are wild and crazed, but only for moments at a time. When he mentions her shortcomings, when he reminds her of what he does to those who are weak, when he refuses to trust her with a task; they flash. He wonders if she is encountering the same demon as he has.

If she does, then she should learn to suffer in silence, as he does.

_..._

_In here._

" _Ten seconds left. The eclipse only last 8 minutes, remember."_

" _Are you ready?"_

" _Of course not. But it doesn't really matter, does it?"_

_..._

Family.

He hasn't thought of them as family in years. Long ago, yes, he could overlook their shortcomings, see them as his flesh and blood and feel no pain.

Then he watches and he cringed every time his wife chose favorites with the children, every time she covertly disagreed with the nations values. He could not have a traitor in the fold. That fateful night, he lets her leave, and lets her take his obstinate father as well. And it pains him, but she is persistent, and the Fire Nation deserves only strength.

His brother has only false strength, he is sure of this when he leaves the siege because of a single death, but he has managed to trick the masses, so Ozai cannot take him away. He leaves on his own eventually, after Ozai takes away his weakest link.

It was amusing, how they always left in pairs. Perhaps weakness loves company as much as misery does.

Zuko. It had been his own undoing really. How many chances had he given him? Countless. He hadn't even struck to kill, and yet the boy couldn't muster the willpower to live. It was testimony of his insufficiency, the spirits had chosen his course and they chose wisely.

The spirits had given him an inadequate son, and it was his job to ensure the nation a strong heir.

And he had.

There was nothing to regret.

_..._

_This is it._

* * *

The doors are blown open.

Fire does not bloom from their hands and all hope is lost.

They are a flurry of power and crazed resolve.

They fall in seconds.

They have won.

The voice laughs horribly, like a devil over its pawn.

Zuko grins widely, eyes dancing and unbelieving.

* * *

Ozai sits in his cell, ragged, his entire frame deteriorating over the days.

His home is musty and mildew grows at the corners. The sun slants through the prison grates, and somewhere in his mind he idly wonders why it isn't dark yet.

It must be high summer.

Not that it matters, he's bound to this cell for eternity.

He hears nothing, but he feels it. He decides to look up and he stares into his eyes, locking on to them, and he's sure he looks like a madman.

They don't speak. Don't turn. Don't release a breath of air.

The boy looks down at him almost pityingly.

The voice echoes in his mind and it is detesting familiar.

He disappears without even a wisp of dust and Ozai wonders if it was all a trick of the light.

He laughs, and it slowly morphs more into wails, because his son is dead and he's done whatever he can to drag him down as well.

* * *

_Do you regret it?_

* * *

The answer is no.

Tears bloom in his eyes, but Ozai is a proud man and he will never mourn his son.


	9. Late

_"Zuko."_

* * *

"But… why?!"

_You know why. This is wrong, it's all so wrong._

"And you tell me now! You've known this for a while now, how could you not tell us!"

_I don't need to argue with you Aang. Please, just please._

He's right, they don't need to argue. Emotions claw into Aang's throat, and it isn't surprise or confusion or blame, but only a reawakened dread. He'd expected this. But he would never be comfortable with it.

_Aang, I know it's a lot to ask but… I feel like I'm fading away. Like I'm not even a person anymore._

He turns away despondently because now he needs to admit it too.

"Because you're not supposed to be here."

Zuko is silent to the statement. Hearing it out of another person's mouth made guilt seize him cold.

_I should have done you all a favor and left years ago._

"Don't you dare say that! Don't you dare think that this was all for nothing!" Now he's angry but in all truth, it is desperateness coloring his voice. If nothing else, he will not let Zuko leave thinking he was useless.

"You act like you're the problem but…we wouldn't have gotten anywhere without you. Spirits, Zuko. You've saved our lives so many times and I can never repay you."

He says it quietly, but Aang still catches it. _Unless you can turn back time, Avatar…_

And now louder, solemn.

_Then if you want to repay me, let me go._

* * *

_"Prince to your nation for 13 years."_

* * *

The world is at a standstill. The war is over and no one moves a finger because no one knows what needs to be done.

The crown weighs heavily on his head. Iroh decides the world must wait a little longer; there are solemn arrangements that must be seen to first.

* * *

_"You were the honorable martyr and hero of the Hundred Year War."_

* * *

Sokka takes in the early morning air, and he thinks he can almost smell the ash and hear the screams that tore through this place only three years ago.

"So this was your deathbed." Zuko doesn't answer, not like he'd expected him to.

Actually, a part of him does expect an answer, because this was always the time they would talk. Early morning when Sokka would be hunting or fishing alone and suddenly he'd be there, telling him where the game was, where the fish were more likely to bite. They'd bonded closer than Sokka had thought, and that made this all the worst.

Now Sokka stares out at the Agni Kai field and tries to imagine the scene that once took his friend's life. And he can't, because imagining Zuko alive or dying feels oddly disturbing. He realizes he'd never known Zuko when he was flesh and blood. He's been talking to a dead man for months now and only now does it feel real.

"You're dead." He repeats it. He swears the wind laughs at him because Zuko's been dead for years now, he's been an inanimate corpse long before he'd even met him and Sokka only admits it now.

"We found it." Zuko's always been an inhuman, unstoppable force and this thought crushes him. "The grave. Turns out the servants had some decency; Ozai wanted you dumped in the ocean but they buried you by the shore."

It's an unnamed, shallow mound and it is in no way fit to hold someone who had given up his life and peace for the sake of people who would never see him as more than a dead prince.

"And you know what the worst part is?" Everything about this is the worst part, really.

"No one will remember you. They'll write an entire series about the _great and powerful_ Avatar Aang, and maybe me and Katara and Toph will get a few pages of our own, but you?"

He's thought about it, long and hard, and it pains him to know no one will ever hear the name Prince Zuko and think _hero._

"Maybe a sentence. Something like 'The tyrant Firelord Ozai killed his only son in an Agni Kai. Just another testimony to how horrible he was.'"

He hates Zuko for it, hates himself since he can't do anything about it, and hates the world for conjuring up a plan as crazy and painful as this.

"We might have never made it out of the South Pole without you. So don't you dare say that sticking around was _useless._ " He knows no one's listening and maybe that's for the best because these words won't change a thing.

"Once we're gone, so are you. And it's just not _fair._ You deserve to be here with us! You're meant to be Firelord!"

Sokka doesn't understand it, or maybe he does and he just finds the reasons too retched to face.

"I don't know why it's hitting me so hard now. Maybe I just figured after we stopped the Fire Nation, everything would fix itself, just like that."

Or maybe it's because they never saw Zuko as a _problem._ He was there, he was helping, and no one ever acknowledged that there was anything that needed fixing.

"But I guess that's it, there's nothing I can do. The only thing we can give you now is a little bit of peace. And if the spirits are worth anything, they'll give it to you."

The spirits loved to play with them. He barely respected them before but now, his reverence to them was almost nonexistent.

"Say hi to mom for me, will ya? And don't forget us, okay?"

And Sokka tries to promise the same but he knows it'll be a promise he couldn't keep. Zuko just isn't meant to remain here, in spirit or in memory.

* * *

_"Son of Ursa, and Ozai. Brother of Azula. Nephew to Iroh."_

* * *

The grave is horribly unsuitable. It was however, better than a rotting corpse at sea, so Iroh could not complain.

The air was of a salty tinge, and being so close to the ocean, you could hear the waves lap hungrily and the sea ravens croak and none of it was complimentary to the restful and respectful tone that should have been adopted.

But perhaps it was for the best, for even as it was Iroh fell silently on his weary knees in front of a mound of dirt, uneven and grainy, with a slab of driftwood as a headstone. And underneath it would be the body of a young boy with a festering red scar over his eye.

And as with his other son, he kneels over the mound, tears falling from his eyes.

" _Why didn't I help you._ "

The sea ravens caw gracelessly as he sings.

_Leaves from the vine… Falling so slowly…_

* * *

_"Friend of many."_

* * *

They don't start until the birds have nested and the sea has gentled. By then it is nightfall, and the candles glow hauntingly over their faces, as well as illuminating the portrait that leans on the wooden gravestone.

Everyone is effortlessly silent, knowing speaking a word would be severely disrespectful and out of place. The only sound any of them have to fight is the choking sobs of grief and anger that are clawing at their throats.

Toph sits cross-legged, not wanting one foot on the ground. She could feel the hollow space beneath her and the thought of what it contained made this feel all too real.

It is a small procession. Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Mai and Iroh; the only ones who knew of him, save a few others that couldn't attend. They can't help but think that this was inadequate. And they wait and wait, because no one wants to start but everyone wishes it could finish.

The name croaks from his throat, but he has to repeat because it dies unsteadily the first time. Iroh seals his son's death note and all he can think about is getting it over with.

_"Zuko."_

* * *

The swamp was foggy. The air was thick and the trees wrapped around everything around him, even each other. He'd expect it to be humid, but he couldn't feel a thing. Quiet, empty but most definitely alive. _Wild_ , that would be one word to describe it. It was all serenely familiar.

And now, he knew the way.

* * *

_"We lay you to rest."_

**Author's Note:**

> Yup. Ghost!Zuko. Why? Because that Agni Kai could've gone either way and I enjoy delving into possibilities.
> 
> Hi. I guess I should thank you for reading this, but to be honest I don't really care. I write fanfics because I've scoured the archives and just couldn't find what I was looking for; so I wrote something. This story will probably end up as seven chapters, it won't be an epic saga, just short and sweet with plenty of room to create your own headcanons.
> 
> Review are welcome. I don't take criticism very well so feel free to send flames and harsh evaluation. Does that sentence not add up for you? Well, think about it like this; if you've got weaknesses or imperfections, don't try to handicap other people, do what you can to improve. Besides, I'd rather build up a tough skin now than end up an easily overwhelmed person in the future.
> 
> Peace out, time for me to switch my writer's hat for my functioning human being hat.
> 
> ManofManyHats
> 
> *Originally posted of fanfiction.net. The complete version is there, or you could wait for me to finish updating this.


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